Weather forecast from British Columbia

Rocky Mountains, BC, ©ChristinaT/Flickr

The climate of BC is influenced by several factors and coefficients such as latitude, the topography of the mountains and even the Pacific Ocean. The diversity can cause variations between rainfall, sunshine and snowfall over short distances. Those who are looking for warm weather should head towards the south and those who prefer rain and the cold can head to the north.

As British Columbia is quite a large region it has several different climatic zones: the first one is the Coast Mountains and the Island, the second being the Interior Plateau, third is Columbia Mountains and the Rockies, fourth is Columbia Mountains & Southern Rockies and last is the Great Plains.

Climate zone 1: Coast Mountains and the Islands

In this part of BC the weather is heavily wet and humid with mild temperatures and usually frost-free periods. This area receives a lot of rainfall throughout the year. It includes Vancouver Island, Vancouver, the Gulf Islands and the Sunshine Coast.

Gulf Islands- Salt Spring Island, ©quinet/Flickr

Climate zone 2: the Interior Plateau

As the Coast Mountains protect the territory from the moist air flow coming from the west, the Interior Plateau has a much continental and drier climate. The summer seasons are usually dry and warm and winters are cool and less moist. Here you can experience the hottest summers of BC including Okanagan, the Thompson River valleys and Similkameen. Some parts of this area further to the north such as Prince George and Williams Lake tend to have a cooler and moist regime than the southern parts of the plateau.

Similkameen River, near Keremeos, BC,©Andy M Smith/Flickr

Climate zone 3: Columbia Mountains and the Southern Rockies

This region is located in the southeastern part of BC and it is characterized by cold winters and warms summers. If you like this kind of weather we recommend you Cranbrook and Grand Forks, or Monashee, Purcell, Selkirk and the Rocky Mountains.

Climate zone 4: Northern and Central Plateaus & Mountains

The interior part of northwestern British Columbia includes Mackenzie, Smithers and Dease Lake where the summers are short and cool while winters are even cooler, and also colder and drier as you travel further to the north.

Climate zone 5: the Great Plains

In the northeastern parts of BC where among many also Dawson Creek and Fort St. John can be found lies an extension called the Great Plains. If you like long and cold winters or short and warm summers with lots of sunshine than this zone is your dream place. Visit for a summer or winter vacation and enjoy the climate.

The Peace River near Fort St. John, ©tuchodi/Flickr