Vancouver records about 1189mm of rain across roughly 161 wet days a year, which is a 44% chance on an average day. December is the wettest month at 176mm (15% of the annual total) and July the driest at 36mm. Local rain type: drizzle. Locals call Vancouver "Raincouver" for good reason. A quality rain jacket is essential September through May. Summer is surprisingly dry and beautiful.
Chance of rain on an average day: 44%
Rainfall climatology for Vancouver. The live hour-by-hour answer for today loads at the top of this page from Open-Meteo and refreshes through the day — the figures below describe a typical year, not today.
Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.
| Annual rainfall | 1189mm |
| Rain days per year | 161 |
| Odds on an average day | 44% |
| Wettest month | December — 176mm over 24 days |
| Driest month | July — 36mm over 5 days |
| Rain type | drizzle |
| Best dry window | July and August are remarkably dry with warm temperatures — the Pacific Northwest summer secret. |
| Worst rain window | November through January brings persistent Pacific rain systems. |
December delivers 389% more rain than July (176mm vs 36mm). That gap is the difference between planning around showers and ignoring them.
No single month holds more than 15% of the annual total, so rain in Vancouver is spread through the year — there is no season you can rely on being dry.
Vancouver rain is mostly persistent drizzle, where a waterproof shell beats an umbrella.
Rain falls on about 24 days in December against 5 in July — the frequency swing matters more for planning than the millimetre totals.
Climate normals. Use them to judge whether today's live forecast at the top of the page is typical or unusual for the season.
| Month | Rainfall | Rain days | Chance on a given day | Highs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 154mm | 21 | 70% | 7°C |
| February | 123mm | 17 | 57% | 7°C |
| March | 114mm | 15 | 50% | 9°C |
| April | 84mm | 11 | 37% | 13°C |
| May | 65mm | 9 | 30% | 16°C |
| June | 54mm | 7 | 23% | 20°C |
| July | 36mm | 5 | 17% | 22°C |
| August | 37mm | 5 | 17% | 22°C |
| September | 51mm | 7 | 23% | 20°C |
| October | 121mm | 16 | 53% | 16°C |
| November | 170mm | 23 | 77% | 13°C |
| December | 176mm | 24 | 80% | 9°C |
Rain probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm falls at your location — not how long it rains. For Vancouver we combine the hourly probability curve, expected volume in millimetres, and the city's own rainfall record into a single umbrella verdict.
| Factor | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly probability | 40% | Peak and sustained chance of measurable rain across the next 24 hours. |
| Expected volume | 30% | Total millimetres, which separates a passing shower from a genuine soaking. |
| Timing & duration | 20% | When rain starts, when it eases, and the longest continuous dry window. |
| Local rain type | 10% | Drizzle, brief showers, thunderstorms or monsoon — each needs different gear. |
Live hourly values come from Open-Meteo and refresh through the day. Monthly rainfall figures are climate normals, so they describe a typical year rather than a forecast.
Vancouver records rain on roughly 161 days a year — about a 44% chance on any given day — totalling around 1189mm.
December, with about 176mm over 24 rain days. That is 15% of the entire year's rainfall in a single month.
July is the driest month at 36mm across roughly 5 days. July and August are remarkably dry with warm temperatures — the Pacific Northwest summer secret.
Locals call Vancouver "Raincouver" for good reason. A quality rain jacket is essential September through May. Summer is surprisingly dry and beautiful.
No. Probability is the chance that at least 0.2mm of rain falls at your location at some point in the period. Check the expected millimetres alongside it: 40% with 0.4mm is a passing shower, 40% with 12mm is a soaking.