Climate
Main article: Climate of VancouverVancouver is one of the warmest Canadian cities. Vancouver's climate is temperate by Canadian standards and is usually classified as Oceanic or Marine west coast, which under the Köppen climate classification system would be Cfb. The summer months are typically dry, with an average of only one in five days during July and August receiving precipitation. In contrast, precipitation falls during nearly half the days from November through March.
Vancouver is also one of the wettest Canadian cities, however precipitation varies throughout the metropolitan area. Annual precipitation as measured at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond averages 1,199 mm (47.2 in), compared with 1,588 mm (62.5 in) in the downtown area and 2,044 mm (80.5 in) in North Vancouver. Summer months are drier and sunnier with moderate temperatures, tempered by sea breezes. The daily maximum averages 22 °C (72 °F) in July and August, with highs rarely reaching 30 °C (86 °F).
The highest temperature ever recorded at the airport was 34.4 °C (93.9 °F) set on July 30, 2009, and the highest temperature ever recorded within the city of Vancouver was 35.0 °C (95.0 °F) occurring first on July 31, 1965, again on August 8, 1981, and finally on May 29, 1983.
On average, snow falls on eleven days per year, with three days receiving 6 cm (2.4 in) or more. Average yearly snowfall is 48.2 cm (19.0 in) but typically does not remain on the ground for long.
Winters in Greater Vancouver are the fourth mildest of Canadian cities after nearby Victoria, Nanaimo and Duncan, all on Vancouver Island. Vancouver's growing season averages 221 days, from March 29 until November 5, longer than any other major city in Canada.
| Climate data for Canada Place, Vancouver | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.6 (60.1) |
16.4 (61.5) |
19.1 (66.4) |
23.9 (75) |
32.7 (90.9) |
30.0 (86) |
31.7 (89.1) |
31.7 (89.1) |
28.5 (83.3) |
24.2 (75.6) |
17.0 (62.6) |
15.0 (59) |
32.7 (90.9) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 6.8 (44.2) |
8.4 (47.1) |
10.6 (51.1) |
13.5 (56.3) |
16.8 (62.2) |
19.6 (67.3) |
22.0 (71.6) |
22.3 (72.1) |
19.0 (66.2) |
13.9 (57) |
9.3 (48.7) |
6.8 (44.2) |
14.1 (57.4) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 4.8 (40.6) |
5.9 (42.6) |
7.6 (45.7) |
10.0 (50) |
13.2 (55.8) |
15.9 (60.6) |
18.1 (64.6) |
18.3 (64.9) |
15.4 (59.7) |
11.1 (52) |
7.1 (44.8) |
4.8 (40.6) |
11.0 (51.8) |
| Average low °C (°F) | 2.7 (36.9) |
3.4 (38.1) |
4.6 (40.3) |
6.5 (43.7) |
9.5 (49.1) |
12.2 (54) |
14.1 (57.4) |
14.4 (57.9) |
11.6 (52.9) |
8.2 (46.8) |
4.8 (40.6) |
2.8 (37) |
7.9 (46.2) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −13.3 (8.1) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−5 (23) |
−1.1 (30) |
1.1 (34) |
2.8 (37) |
2.8 (37) |
5.0 (41) |
1.7 (35.1) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
−9.9 (14.2) |
−15.6 (3.9) |
−15.6 (3.9) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 178.8 (7.039) |
183.8 (7.236) |
155.8 (6.134) |
117.9 (4.642) |
86.7 (3.413) |
69.9 (2.752) |
53.4 (2.102) |
50.8 (2) |
73.3 (2.886) |
147.8 (5.819) |
239.2 (9.417) |
231.3 (9.106) |
1,588.6 (62.543) |
| Snowfall cm (inches) | 15.3 (6.02) |
10.2 (4.02) |
2.7 (1.06) |
0.9 (0.35) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
2.7 (1.06) |
11.8 (4.65) |
43.6 (17.17) |
| Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 18.3 | 16.4 | 16.6 | 14.9 | 12.9 | 11.6 | 7.6 | 7.7 | 9.4 | 14.9 | 19.8 | 19.1 | 169.1 |
| Avg. snowy days (≥ 0.2 cm) | 2.8 | 1.9 | 0.89 | 0.24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.05 | 0.88 | 2.9 | 9.6 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 51.1 | 79.6 | 124.7 | 161.3 | 222.8 | 223.5 | 276.8 | 256.6 | 178.3 | 127.3 | 66.9 | 49.6 | 1,818.4 |
| Source #1: Environment Canada | |||||||||||||
| Source #2: Environment Canada (sun, 1961-1990) | |||||||||||||
Read more about this topic: Vancouver Canada, Geography
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