West Hillhurst, Calgary: winter sun, snow and spring melt
Compared with 133 Calgary communities, West Hillhurst gets less December sun than most along its residential streets (median 0.5 h on December 21, city median 1.3 h), has more snow on the ground than most in March, and about average spring ponding in a typical year (LandMood model, 2016–2025).
West Hillhurst is one of Calgary's inner-city communities, with older homes and mature trees.
Winter sun
On December 21, the ground along West Hillhurst's residential streets gets a median of 0.5 h of direct sun, less than the 1.3 h median across Calgary's communities (the 21st least sunny of 133).
On December 21, about 50% of West Hillhurst's street-side ground gets under half an hour of direct sun (city median 40%).
Which way homes face
Most residential streets here run east–west (about 64% of street length), so homes mostly face north or south: roughly half of those homes have a north-facing front, with a shaded driveway and a sunnier back yard in winter.
Snow and spring melt
In March, about 77% of West Hillhurst's street-side ground still holds 5 cm of snow or more in a typical year (city median 70%).
During spring melt, the model expects water to pool (1 cm or more) on about 5% of the street-side and open ground in West Hillhurst (city median 5%).
Buying a home in West Hillhurst: what winter looks like
If you are looking at homes in West Hillhurst or thinking of living there, expect less winter sun than most of Calgary on the ground along its streets: a median of 0.5 h of direct sun on December 21, against 1.3 h for the city.
Most streets in West Hillhurst run east–west, so on those streets many homes face north. A north-facing home usually has its front yard, driveway and front steps in the house's own shadow from about November to February, while its back yard is more likely to get the low sun. A south-facing home is the reverse.
West Hillhurst has more snow on the ground in March than most communities and about the typical amount of spring ponding in our model. Wherever a driveway or walk sits in shade, snow tends to stay longer, and melt water that runs across it in the day can refreeze at night.
Homes here are older, and older communities often have mature trees, which add shade in winter as well as summer.
At a viewing, check:
- which way the front of the house faces;
- whether the driveway and front steps are in shade around midday;
- where snow has piled up and where melt water has stood or refrozen;
- where the downspouts empty and whether the yard slopes away from the house.
The full list is in buying a house in Calgary in winter.
Within West Hillhurst, two homes on the same street can differ more than West Hillhurst differs from the rest of Calgary. Put the home you are looking at on the map to see its own front yard, back yard and driveway.
Compared with its neighbours
Along its residential streets West Hillhurst gets 1.0 h less direct sun on December 21 than neighbouring St. Andrews Heights (0.5 h against 1.5 h).
| Community | Sun, Dec 21 (median) | 5 cm+ snow in March | Spring ponding |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Hillhurst | 0.5 h | 77% | 5% |
| Hounsfield Heights/Briar Hill | 0.7 h | 73% | 3% |
| Parkdale | 1.0 h | 70% | 6% |
| Scarboro/Sunalta West | 0.8 h | 69% | 2% |
| St. Andrews Heights | 1.5 h | 64% | 5% |
Compared with the rest of Calgary
| Measure | West Hillhurst | Calgary median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct sun on Dec 21, street-side ground (median) | 0.5 h | 1.3 h | 113th of 133 |
| Street-side ground with under 30 min of sun on Dec 21 | 50% | 40% | 23rd of 133 |
| Street-side ground with 5 cm+ of snow in March | 77% | 70% | 35th of 133 |
| Ground where melt water pools in spring (1 cm+) | 5% | 5% | 49th of 133 |
| Residential streets running east–west | 64% | 42% | 5th of 133 |
Rank 1 is the highest value among 133 residential communities with enough data. See which ones get the most and least December sun in the Calgary winter sun ranking.
How these numbers are made
LandMood follows the sun hour by hour over 1-metre public lidar of the real houses and trees (Natural Resources Canada) with ten years of weather (2016–2025). For this page we sampled the ground along residential streets (boulevards, front yards and driveways as a band, never a single home) and open ground away from buildings, across the whole community. Snow and water are modelled tendencies shown as shares and bands, not measurements.
Questions people ask
How much winter sun does West Hillhurst, Calgary get?
On December 21 the ground along residential streets in West Hillhurst gets a median of 0.5 h of direct sun in LandMood's model, against 1.3 h for the median community in Calgary. Individual homes vary with the direction they face, trees and neighbouring houses.
Do homes in West Hillhurst face north or south?
Most residential streets here run east–west (about 64% of street length), so homes mostly face north or south: roughly half of those homes have a north-facing front, with a shaded driveway and a sunnier back yard in winter. Check a specific home on the map before you decide.
What should I check when buying a home in West Hillhurst in winter?
Check which way the front of the house faces, whether the driveway and front steps are in shade around midday, where snow piles up and melt water stands or refreezes, and where the downspouts empty. In LandMood's model the ground along West Hillhurst's residential streets gets a median of 0.5 h of direct sun on December 21 (city median 1.3 h), but two homes on the same street can differ more than that, so check the specific home on the map.
Does snow last long in West Hillhurst?
In March, about 77% of West Hillhurst's street-side ground still holds 5 cm of snow or more in a typical year (city median 70%). Shaded ground on the north side of houses and trees keeps snow longest.