Weather centre

I have a report submitted to my weather centre of a most unusual weather event in Kilkenny:

“Thunderstorms, lightning and snow.” What a combination.

This morning I was doing some research to try to comprehend how people live in Edmonton. Today the weather is a balmy -7 there. The same -7 that almost toppled us here last week.  Today in one place in Wales it’s the lowest ever for a November at -17 but this isn’t so cold for Edmonton. I really am puzzled as to how you go to the shops or catch a bus or post a letter in places where it drops soo low. Explications pls.