From someone who lives here or has been what is the weather really like in July- August in Vancouver or Banff area? I'm looking for temps, rainy?, windy? etc. Thanks!!

Vancouver has very rainy winters, but generally quite dry, sunny summers. Average day time highs in July and August are around 70 deg F, and night time lows are in the mid 50s F.

Vancouver rarely goes above the high 80s F, but they experienced some record-breaking temperatures this past July. Global warming perhaps.

In July and August night time lows can get as low as the mid-low 40s F.

Average monthly rainfall for July is 1.2" and for August it's 1.5".

I don't know about wind. It has not been windy when I have visited there in summer. I think Vancouver is sheltered by Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands that lie to the west of it. However, I am not a frequent enough visitor to address that point with confidence.

Banff's weather experiences <b>much</b> greater swings than Vancouver's weather does. Average day time highs during that period are in the very low 70s F, and average night time lows are in the very low 40s.

But Banff can experience temperatures as high as the mid 90s, and it also can experience temperatures around the freezing mark.

I have experienced snow in the Canadian Rockies in every month of the year, and I mean <b>every</b> month. Snow is much more likely to occur at higher elevations. The mountain resort towns tend to be at low-ish elevations, at least in relation to the mountains around them. Also, when snow does fall in July and August, it does not stick around for long.

Although Banff's average monthly rainfall for July is only 2&quot; and for August 2.2&quot;, there is a higher risk of encountering rain than those numbers suggest. The reason is that that rainfall is distributed amongst many short little showers.

On any given day in the mountains, there is a high likelihood that you will experience some sunshine, some cloud, and some rain.

And, yes, it can be windy in the mountains. I'm not saying the winds are gale force, but there can be enough wiind to make you appreciate your fleece top and your hooded, water- and wind-proof outer jacket.

If you collated everything that has been typed here about bringing layers of clothing so as to be prepared for all eventualitites in the mountains, I'm sure it's reached the point that it could fill a book.

The interior of British Columbia, between Vancouver and Banff, gets even more extreme temperatures than Banff does. It's common for towns like Kelowna and Kamloops to experience temperatures in excess of 100 deg F. That may be relevant if you are thinking of driving from Vancouver to Banff or vice versa.

Thank you so much! I have only started my research &amp; we have not been to this part of Canada before. I need to look at a map - I was under the impression driving from Banff to Vancouver would be quite a trip.

The drive from Banff to Vancouver IS quite the trip - it's 857 km (532 miles) over at least four different mountain chains, and travels through areas with lakes, rivers, forests, grasslands, &quot;nearly desert&quot;, in valleys and over high mountain passes etc. etc. Some travel sites state that it takes 13 to 14 hours to drive this distance, but in our experience it's more like 9 to 10 hours (not counting stops along the way).

Judy gave you some good advice regarding the weather. The summers are normally (on average) nice in the mountains (Banff), sunny during the day but chilly overnight. For example, last weekend began at the end of a rainy spell (a day or two), when the clouds moved away you could see blazingly white snow at the tops of the mountain peaks (very pretty - makes great photos!!). The next day was warm (72F) and within 24 hours that snow had vanished.
The thing to remember is that even though it can be hot during the daytime, the temperature will plummet overnight as much as 40 to 45 degrees (Fahrenheit, which is 20 to 25 degrees Celsius), and the mornings can be really chilly, almost frosty. You'll start out with long sleeves and jackets in the morning but will be sweating by noon. Be prepared to layer, or have a change of clothes with you wherever you go.

bwg,

I am currently on holiday in Canada and have travelled from Vancouver to Calgary.

Pack for all weathers!! We have gone from shorts and T-Shirts to Jeans, Jumpers and Rain coats.

In Jasper we had three layers on in the morning it was that cold and the clouds were so low we couldn't see a thing.

By midday we were going up the Jasper Tramway in T-shirts and putting suncream on it was that hot and the views were amazing.

The weather has been different throughout our stay but we've had a brilliant time.

We are going to the same places but in September. We will be mid-Sept. in Vancouver for a few days, 1 day in Kamloops, and then 2 days each in Jasper, Lake Louise, Banff and Calgary. What should we expect for weather. Anything different than what you have already said?