Best Time to Visit British Columbia

Kentucky Lake Pano (Brian Burger)  [flickr.com]  CC BY 
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On this page, you will find information about the climate and the best time to visit British Columbia. We created climate tables and charts for the locations of Victoria, Vancouver und Fort Nelson. These contain details about temperatures, precipitation and more.

Furthermore, we analyzed all climate data and provide a recommendation about which months are best to visit British Columbia for your holiday.

Climate Overview

Thermometer Symbol -26 °C to 23 °C
Waves Symbol 8 °C to 14 °C
Rainy Cloud Symbol 0.477.32 in (5 – 22 Days of Rain)
Average Annual Temperature is between -1 °C (Fort Nelson) and 11 °C (Vancouver)
Show temperatures in degree

Geographical location

The Canadian province of British Columbia is located on the Pacific coast. Northwest is Alaska, north Yukon, east Alberta and to the south the US states of Idaho, Montana and Washington border British Columbia.

The capital of the province is Victoria. British Columbia has an area of 587000 square miles and 4.4 million inhabitants. That is 4.8 inhabitants per square kilometre. The largest city in the English-speaking province is Vancouver. Vancouver is the economic centre of the region.

In the east of the province there are four mountain ranges of the Rocky Mountains. Mount Fairweather is the highest mountain in British Columbia at 4663 metres and is located in the northwest. The Fraser River is the longest river in British Columbia at 850 miles. It flows into the Pacific. Off the coast lies the famous island of Vancouver Island.

Climate in British Columbia

Heisholt Lake (David Stanley)  [flickr.com]  CC BY 
License Information available under 'Proof of Image Sources' The Arctic climate prevails in the north of the province. The annual average temperature in Fort Nelson is -1.0 °C. Average temperatures of below –20 °C can occur in December and January. In 1999, 145 centimetres of snow fell in northern British Columbia, the largest amount of snow ever measured per day. During the months of June, July and August, temperatures can reach 23 °C during the day.

In the south and also on Vancouver Island there is a warm temperate climate due to the Kuroshio current in the Pacific Ocean. In this region in British Columbia (Canada) daytime temperatures of around 20 °C are reached around summer. The amount of precipitation is also pleasingly low in the summer months. In winter, temperatures in the south are mainly around freezing at night, with regular snowfall.

Best Time to Visit British Columbia: Overview

JanuaryJan
MaximumMax. 6 °C
FebruaryFeb
MaximumMax. 8 °C
MarchMar
MaximumMax. 11 °C
AprilApr
MaximumMax. 13 °C
MayMay
Good time to traveltime
PerfectPerf. climate in
Victoria
JuneJun
Best time to traveltime
PerfectPerf. climate in
Victoria
Fort Nelson
JulyJul
Best time to traveltime
PerfectPerf. climate in
Victoria
Fort Nelson
AugustAug
Best time to traveltime
PerfectPerf. climate in
Victoria
Fort Nelson
SeptemberSep
Good time to traveltime
PerfectPerf. climate in
Victoria
OctoberOct
MaximumMax. 14 °C
NovemberNov
MaximumMax. 9 °C
DecemberDec
MaximumMax. 7 °C

When to go to British Columbia?


In the flat north-east of the province, the Arctic climate is less noticeable in the summer months of June, July and August. Temperatures climb up to 23 °C during the day and drop to about 9 °C during the night. The best time to visit Fort Nelson is in June, July and August.

The capital Victoria is located at the southernmost end of British Columbia and, like the popular destination Vancouver, has a warm and temperate climate.

Temperatures are positive all year round. In the months of May to September temperatures can rise up to 20 °C. This is also the best time to travel. Victoria is located in the immediate vicinity of the Washington border. Seattle is about 99 miles away and can be perfectly integrated into a round trip.

Best Time to Visit the Regions

Find the best time to visit the regions (British Columbia) in the following overview.

LocationBest Time to Travel
VictoriaMay, June, July, August, and September
VancouverMay, June, July, August, and September
Fort NelsonJune, July, and August

Climate Charts British Columbia

In the following, you will find climate charts for the regions.

Furthermore, there are some charts you can use for quick comparison of climate between the regions.

Show Climate Chart for    

Victoria

Climate Chart Victoria
Show temperatures in degree

Vancouver

Show temperatures in degree

Fort Nelson

Climate Chart Fort Nelson
Show temperatures in degree

Day Temperatures

Show temperatures in degree

Night Temperatures

Show temperatures in degree

Average Temperatures

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Precipitation

Hours of Sunshine per Day

Source of Data: German Weather Service (Offenbach) and Wikipedia

Climate Tables British Columbia

In the following, you will find some climate tables for British Columbia, containing information about Temperatures, Precipitation, Water Temperatures, and Hours of Sunshine.
Show climate table for    

Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Victoria (British Columbia)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day Temperature10°13°16°18°20°20°18°14°
Night Temperature10°11°11°10°
Precipitation (inch)4.212.991.931.340.830.830.470.791.32.913.744.53
Hours of Sunshine2457991197532
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Victoria is 10.1 °C.

For comparison: London 11 °C, NYC 12 °C, LA 17.9 °C

Warmest month: July (15.7 °C)
Coldest month: January (4.1 °C)

Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 25.87 inch

For comparison: London 24.06 in, NYC 41.57 in, LA 12.01 in

There is no rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation).

Months that have possible snowfall: January, February, March, and December

Sunshine
As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 10.9 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 6 hours of sunshine per day on average. For comparison: London has 4.1, NYC has 7 and LA has 8.9 hours of sunshine per day on average.

Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Vancouver (British Columbia)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day Temperature11°15°17°21°23°23°20°16°10°
Night Temperature12°14°14°11°
Water Temperature10°11°13°14°14°13°11°
Precipitation (inch)7.323.74.653.622.362.321.541.571.8957.27.01
Rainy days221619161210879162120
Hours of Sunshine3445781097644
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Vancouver is 11 °C.

Warmest month: July (18.5 °C)
Coldest month: January (4.5 °C)

The maximum water temperature in Vancouver is 14 °C. Bathing would be very uncomfortable.

Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 48.19 inch on 176 rainy days

Rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation): January, November, and December
Overall precipitation in the rainy season: 21.54 in

Months that have possible snowfall: January, February, March, November, and December

Sunshine
As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 10 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 5.9 hours of sunshine per day on average.

Temperatures, Precipitation, Sunshine in Fort Nelson (British Columbia)

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Day Temperature-17°-14°-1°17°21°23°22°15°-8°-17°
Night Temperature-26°-21°-15°-5°10°-4°-16°-24°
Precipitation (inch)0.941.021.020.751.542.62.562.011.341.021.221.14
Rainy days7565791197676
Hours of Sunshine2458810986322
Show temperatures in degree
Temperatures
The annual average temperature in Fort Nelson is -1 °C.

Warmest month: July (16.6 °C)
Coldest month: January (-21.8 °C)

Precipitation
Overall annual precipitation: 17.17 inch on 85 rainy days

There is no rainy season (months with more than 6.9 in of precipitation).

Months that have possible snowfall: all except June, July, and August

Sunshine
As our climate table shows, June is the sunniest month with an average of 9.9 hours of sunshine per day. Over the year, there are 5.6 hours of sunshine per day on average.

Highlights and Attractions


Especially in the area of activities British Columbia has a lot to offer. The wide and rocky landscapes are ideal for hiking, mountaineering and climbing. In different waters you can go canoeing, boat tours or fishing. There are also possibilities to raft in white water. Many sports facilities can be visited from the 2010 Winter Olympics in Whistler and Vancouver, and some are even open to the public.

Popular Activities

More attractions

Vancouver & Capilano Suspension Bridge Sightseeing: Half-Day | Vancouver: Capilano Suspension Bridge Park Entry Ticket | Classic Vancouver Panorama Tour by Seaplane | Indian Arm Half-Day Lunch Cruise from Vancouver | Vancouver 2.5-Hour Sunset Dinner Buffet Cruise | Victoria: 3-Hour Zodiac Whale-Watching Tour | Vancouver: North Shore and Suspension Bridge Day Trip |

Current Weather and Forecast

Current Weather in Victoria (Station Oak Bay)
moderate rain     moderate rain, 7.2 °C
Clouds: 100 %       Wind: 5 mph SO
Air Pressure: 1016 hPa       Humidity: 94 %
0.04 in of rain (last 3 hours)
Last updated: 7th Feb 2023, 07:18 pm
The next days …
8th Feb 20239th Feb 202310th Feb 202311th Feb 202312th Feb 202313th Feb 2023
overcast clouds4 °C to 7 °Clight rain4 °C to 7 °Clight rain5 °C to 8 °Clight rain6 °C to 8 °Clight rain6 °C to 7 °Clight rain5 °C to 8 °C
4 °C to 7 °C4 °C to 7 °C5 °C to 8 °C6 °C to 8 °C6 °C to 7 °C5 °C to 8 °C
Clouds: 100 %Clouds: 100 %Clouds: 84 %Clouds: 95 %Clouds: 100 %Clouds: 76 %
No Precipitation0.07 in of rain0.06 in of rain0.07 in of rain0.17 in of rain0.2 in of rain
Weather information provided by OpenWeatherMap. (CC BY-SA)
Show temperatures in degree

Canada: Regions

British Columbia is part of the holiday destination Canada. We analyzed the climate for additional regions, in order to provide you with information about the best time to visit and the expected holiday weather:

British Columbia: Experiences of our Visitors

There are 3 reviews for British Columbia holiday already. Average rating is 4.7 of 5 stars.
  1. Avatar Preview
    Jutta, 40 years old was there in September

    no rainy day in the time and predominantly sunny, at night also somewhat colder

    Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent

  2. Avatar Preview
    Mareike Schmitz , 32 years old was there in May

    The best thing ever to discover BC. Not too hot and not too cold. Tshirt weather with snow! present perfect

    Weather Rating: 5 stars – Excellent

  3. Avatar Preview
    Sansonett, 55 years old was there in June

    I was already in May, June, July, August, September and fell completely in, weather-wise seen. Of course there was once rainy time and sometimes unexpected sun. But if you want the complete sun and it’s warm, you’d better go somewhere else. Large parts of BC are coast or mountains, the weather is different and very changeable. I don’t come here because of the weather, but because of the animals and the magnificent landscape. And both don’t really care about the weather.

    Weather Rating: 4 stars – Good

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