Whatever the forecast, be prepared!
One of the most common questions we are asked as local residents of the Canadian Rockies is, “what’s the weather going to be like?” And if the truth be known, for most residents of Banff and Canmore, it is the most common topic of discussion amongst us. So to answer the question, let’s first take a look at “averages” as provided by Environment Canada for the Town of Banff:
| Town of Banff (Elevation 1397m / 4540 ft) | |||||
| Averages | Daily High (°C) | Daily Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Snowfall (cm) | Hours of Sun/Day |
| Jan | -5.3 | -14.9 | 2.4 | 38.2 | 8.1 |
| Feb | 0.1 | -11.3 | 1.7 | 30.0 | 10.0 |
| Mar | 3.8 | -7.9 | 1.6 | 27.0 | 12.0 |
| Apr | 9.0 | -2.8 | 10.6 | 26.3 | 14.0 |
| May | 14.2 | 1.5 | 42.4 | 17.1 | 15.5 |
| Jun | 18.7 | 5.4 | 58.4 | 1.7 | 16.5 |
| Jul | 22.1 | 7.4 | 51.1 | 0.0 | 16.0 |
| Aug | 21.6 | 6.8 | 51.2 | 0.0 | 14.5 |
| Sep | 16.1 | 2.7 | 37.7 | 7.0 | 12.7 |
| Oct | 10.1 | -1.1 | 15.4 | 18.9 | 10.7 |
| Nov | 0.5 | -8.2 | 6.0 | 33.6 | 9.0 |
| Dec | -5.3 | -13.8 | 2.8 | 43.9 | 7.8 |
Two operative words here are “averages” and the “elevation”, because the averages will give you a pretty indication that July is warmer than April, and that on any given day in July, it should be pretty nice. And although 58.4 mm of rain in June sounds like a lot, keep in mind 25 mm equals 1 inch, and the average is about 2 inches of rain for the entire month of June. So what about the elevation?
Elevation, more than almost anything else, drives the weather in Banff National Park and this leads to incredible variability even between locations that are near to one another. The weather can also become dramatically different through the day. Just because the sun is out at the start of the trailhead, be sure to have something warm to pull on and even rain gear, as you never know how much things can change throughout the day.
One element that always seems to catch visitors to the Canadian Rockies off-guard is how dramatically the temperatures can change as we go from day to night. Even though the temperature rose to 23 C (73.4 F) during the day, overnight the temperature may drop to just a few degrees above freezing (0 C / 32 F).
The bottom line is think ahead as you plan your vacation to Banff National Park. Get current trail reports and weather conditions or drop into one of the Park’s Visitor Centre’s. For an up-to-date forecast while you are on the move, call the Banff Weather Office at 403 762 2088 and follow the prompts.
Being prepared means not only will you have more fun while visiting Banff National Park, you will also remain warm and dry, not matter what Mother Nature comes up with!!