Rain and dark winters in Vancouver: the real numbers, the gear and beating the gloom

Yes, it rains a lot. No, it doesn't rain all day every day. The bigger adjustment for most Americans isn't the rain; it's the dark.

The short version

• Vancouver airport averages about 1,189 mm (47 inches) of precipitation a year, almost all of it rain [1]. That's more than Seattle's roughly 39 inches (1,000 mm) [2].
• November is the wettest month, with about 189 mm (7.4 inches) and some rain on about 20 days [1].
• Winters are mild: average December highs are about 6°C (43°F), and lows hover just above freezing [1].
• The sun is scarce. December averages about 57 hours of bright sunshine, about 22% of the daylight available [1].
• Seasonal affective disorder is real and treatable. Light therapy is the main treatment; talk to a doctor first [3][4][5].

The numbers: Environment Canada's climate normals

Locals call it "Raincouver," and the data backs them up. These are Environment and Climate Change Canada's 1981–2010 normals for Vancouver International Airport [1]:

A few things jump out:

• It's a wet winter, not a wet year. July gets about a fifth of November's rain. Summers are dry, sunny and gorgeous, and that's the deal you're signing up for.
• It rarely gets truly cold. The airport averages just 3.4 days a year when the high stays at or below 0°C (32°F) [1]. Compared with a Minneapolis or Boston winter, it's practically spring.
• Snow is occasional. About 38 cm (15 inches) a year on average at the airport [1], usually in a few short bursts. When it does snow, the city tends to grind to a halt, and the North Shore mountains get the real stuff.
• The airport is one spot. Rain increases toward the North Shore mountains, so North Vancouver and the higher parts of the city get noticeably wetter than Richmond by the airport.

Note the station: these figures are for Vancouver International Airport, the station that meets World Meteorological Organization standards [1]. Your neighborhood will vary.

Vancouver vs Seattle: is it really worse?

If you're moving up from Seattle, you'll hear plenty of jokes about trading one gray city for another. Here's how the two stack up:

The normals cover slightly different periods and counting thresholds, so treat this as a ballpark. But the direction is clear: Vancouver is a little wetter, a little cooler and a little darker than Seattle. It's Seattle plus, not a different planet.

The dark is the hard part

Vancouver sits farther north than any major city in the Lower 48. Around the winter solstice, you get only a little over eight hours of daylight, with sunrise after 8 a.m. and sunset in the mid-afternoon. In June it's the opposite: about 16 hours of light and long, glowing evenings.

Stack short days on top of cloud cover, and December's sunshine total lands at about 22% of what's possible [1]. If you commute in the dark both ways, you may go days without seeing the sun on a weekday.

Seasonal affective disorder

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a form of depression that comes on in fall and winter and lifts in spring [3]. Symptoms include low mood, low energy, oversleeping, carb cravings and weight gain [3][4]. BC's HeretoHelp says about 2 to 3% of Canadians will have SAD in their lifetime, and another 15% get a milder version [4].

What helps:

1. Light therapy. HealthLink BC calls it the main treatment for SAD: regular doses of bright light, brighter than ordinary indoor lighting [5]. HeretoHelp describes sitting near a special light for about half an hour a day, and says 60 to 80% of people with SAD get substantial relief [4]. The University of British Columbia's mood disorders center, a leader in this research, calls it safe and easy to use [3]. Check with a doctor before you start, since there can be side effects [4].
2. See a doctor if the low feelings come back every year and affect your life [4]. A doctor can rule out things like thyroid problems [4].
3. Call 8-1-1 for HealthLink BC's free nurse line, any time [4].
4. In a crisis, call BC's 310-6789 line, no area code needed, any time [4]. Canada's 9-8-8 suicide crisis line also takes calls and texts.

If you don't have MSP yet, see our guide to BC health coverage before winter hits.

Gear that actually works

Locals have a uniform for a reason. You can spot a newcomer by the umbrella that's flipped inside out on the Burrard Bridge.

Leave the heavy Chicago parka in storage. You'll want it on the ski hill, not on the SkyTrain.

How locals stay busy

The trick most long-timers swear by: don't wait for good weather.

• Go up the mountains. Grouse, Cypress and Seymour are right above the city, so rain in town often means snow up top. Night skiing under the lights beats sitting at home.
• Walk anyway. The Seawall around Stanley Park is just as good in a drizzle, and quieter.
• Get your sun fix. A long weekend somewhere sunny in January is practically a local tradition, and YVR has plenty of flights south.
• Lean into indoor life. Climbing gyms, pools, rec centers, film festivals and a packed live music calendar fill the winter.
• Find your people. Sunday NFL with fellow Americans helps more than you'd think in January.

Swap rain gear tips and winter plans in our community group for Americans in Canada.

Sources

1. Canadian climate normals 1981–2010: Vancouver Int'l A, Environment and Climate Change Canada
2. Climate of Seattle (Sea-Tac 1991–2020 normals from NOAA), Wikipedia
3. Seasonal affective disorder and light therapy, UBC mood disorders clinic
4. Seasonal affective disorder, HeretoHelp (BC Partners for Mental Health and Substance Use Information)
5. Light therapy, HealthLink BC

Keep reading

• The outdoors in Vancouver: skiing, hiking and the North Shore
• BC health coverage (MSP): enrolling and the wait
• Cost of living in Vancouver vs Seattle
• American life in Vancouver