Vancouver, Canada Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Vancouver
Cold is the baseline in Vancouver, not the exception. Night-time lows sit at or below freezing in 6 months of the year, and the warmest month, August, still only averages 68°F (20°C) by day. February runs to 22°F (-6°C) after dark.
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: August - highs near 68°F (20°C)
- Coldest month: February - highs near 32°F (0°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 94°F (34°C) high · -9°F (-23°C) low
- Wettest month: January (21 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (12.7 h sun/day)
- Climate type: oceanic
- Annual swing: 18°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 8°C
- Snow: about 97 days a year
- Months with freezing average lows: 6
- Average humidity: 79%
Temperatures through the year
February bottoms out at 32°F (0°C) in daylight, 22°F (-6°C) after dark. At its warmest, in August, Vancouver runs to 68°F (20°C) in the afternoon and back to 49°F (10°C) by dawn. Snow falls on roughly 97 days a year, mostly October through June.
Rain, sun and snow
Relative humidity averages 79% across the year, more humid than roughly 80% of the cities we track. The wettest month is January (16.5 inches (419 mm) across 21 days) and the driest July. Sunshine averages 7.7 hours a day over the year - duller than about 89% of the cities we track, peaking in July at 12.7 hours. Overnight lows average at or below freezing for 6 months, November through April. The gridded 2015-2024 daily record for this location tops out at 94°F (34°C) and bottoms at -9°F (-23°C) - decade extremes, not all-time station records.
How Vancouver compares
- Vancouver averages 40°F (4°C) across the year - cooler than almost every other city we track.
- Annual precipitation is 95.0 inches (2412 mm) - wetter than 95% of the 3496 cities we track.
- Rain or snow reaches the ground on 184 days a year - more wet days than 88% of the 3496 cities we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 33° | 25° | 21 | 16.5 in | 3.6 h/day | 8.6 h | 67% | 87% |
| February | 32° | 22° | 17 | 7.1 in | 5.2 h/day | 10.0 h | 59% | 83% |
| March | 36° | 25° | 17 | 8.5 in | 6.6 h/day | 11.7 h | 56% | 81% |
| April | 41° | 28° | 16 | 7.0 in | 8.4 h/day | 13.7 h | 55% | 78% |
| May | 52° | 36° | 11 | 3.0 in | 11.1 h/day | 15.3 h | 35% | 73% |
| June | 58° | 41° | 14 | 3.4 in | 11.0 h/day | 16.3 h | 45% | 74% |
| July | 67° | 48° | 9 | 2.0 in | 12.7 h/day | 15.9 h | 29% | 69% |
| August | 68° | 49° | 9 | 2.8 in | 11.7 h/day | 14.4 h | 30% | 69% |
| September | 58° | 43° | 13 | 5.6 in | 8.8 h/day | 12.5 h | 43% | 79% |
| October | 48° | 35° | 16 | 10.1 in | 6.0 h/day | 10.6 h | 53% | 83% |
| November | 37° | 27° | 19 | 14.6 in | 3.9 h/day | 9.0 h | 63% | 87% |
| December | 31° | 23° | 21 | 14.4 in | 3.4 h/day | 8.1 h | 67% | 87% |
Vancouver month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Vancouver's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 21 days
- Sunshine
- 3.6 h
- Daylight
- 8.6 h
- Snow
- 18 days
February
- Rain
- 17 days
- Sunshine
- 5.2 h
- Daylight
- 10.0 h
- Snow
- 14 days
March
- Rain
- 17 days
- Sunshine
- 6.6 h
- Daylight
- 11.7 h
- Snow
- 15 days
April
- Rain
- 16 days
- Sunshine
- 8.4 h
- Daylight
- 13.7 h
- Snow
- 12 days
May
- Rain
- 11 days
- Sunshine
- 11.1 h
- Daylight
- 15.3 h
- Snow
- 3 days
June
- Rain
- 14 days
- Sunshine
- 11.0 h
- Daylight
- 16.3 h
July
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 12.7 h
- Daylight
- 15.9 h
August
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 11.7 h
- Daylight
- 14.4 h
September
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 8.8 h
- Daylight
- 12.5 h
October
- Rain
- 16 days
- Sunshine
- 6.0 h
- Daylight
- 10.6 h
- Snow
- 5 days
November
- Rain
- 19 days
- Sunshine
- 3.9 h
- Daylight
- 9.0 h
- Snow
- 12 days
December
- Rain
- 21 days
- Sunshine
- 3.4 h
- Daylight
- 8.1 h
- Snow
- 17 days
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Vancouver
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Vancouver runs cold, with daytime highs averaging 43°F (6°C) and nights around 29°F (-1°C); rain falls on around 45 of the 90 days, plus about 30 snowy days.
Summer (June through August)
Through summer, Vancouver is crisp but comfortable: 64°F (18°C) by day, 46°F (8°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 32 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.8 hours of sun a day.
Fall (September through November)
Fall is brisk and cold here - highs near 48°F (9°C), nights near 35°F (2°C), and rain falls on around 48 of the 90 days, plus about 18 snowy days.
Winter (December through February)
Winter in Vancouver runs to hard cold, with daytime highs averaging 32°F (0°C) and nights around 23°F (-5°C); rain falls on around 58 of the 90 days, plus about 48 snowy days. Wind sharpens cold like this considerably; pair the forecast winds with the wind speed converter to judge exposed conditions.
Climate questions, answered
Is Vancouver warmer or cooler than most cities?
Is Vancouver hot in summer?
How sunny is Vancouver?
Does it rain a lot in Vancouver?
What is the average temperature in Vancouver?
Best time to visit Vancouver
The best time to visit Vancouver is generally May to September, when these are the warmest and brightest weeks of the year. Daytime temperatures in that window sit near 61°F (16°C), with rain on about 11 days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in May.
Pack for Vancouver with a heavy insulated coat, hat and gloves for winter and proper waterproofs rather than an umbrella - wet days are the norm here. Even in August, lows of 49°F (10°C) make an extra layer worth the space.
Vancouver temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.