Winnipeg sits in the middle of the Red River Valley, where the Assiniboine River converges. The valley is broad, yet shallow and the areas around Winnipeg are as flat as a tabletop. Repeated flooding in the past deposited much of the fine Red River silt along the floor of the sprawling valley. The rich black clay soils left behind by these floods give the Red River Valley around Winnipeg some of the best agricultural lands in the world. The City of almost 700,000 people is a well-established city, known as one of the greener centres in the country. Towering elm trees line many streets in the downtown areas and in older residential areas nearby. The suburbs are dotted with parks and greenspaces, and residential neighborhoods are lush with mature trees and bushes. Many larger parks have been preserved as recreation spaces, and the greenery is superb. Warm, sunny summers and cold, bright winters characterize Winnipeg's climate. You can expect temperatures in July and August to average 25 degrees Celsius. More than half of the annual precipitation falls in the summer months in the form of brief heavy showers.