Road Travel › Drive weather

Edmonton to Vancouver drive weather

1,159 km (720 miles), about 12 hours of driving via Hwy 16 and Hwy 5. The high point is Surrey Lake Summit at 1,444 m (4,738 ft), about 9 h 10 min in.

Distance
1,159 km
Drive time
~12 hours
High point
1,444 m
Provinces
AB · BC

Next 7 departures

Leaving Edmonton at 7 AM each day · Updated · Forecast: MET Norway

  1. TueOct 13

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 1–16°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Edmonton7 AM MDTSunny3°C
    Edson9 AM MDTPartly sunny1°C
    Hinton10 AM MDTPartly sunny1°C
    Alberta–British Columbia line10:15 AM PDTCloudy7°C
    Valemount11:15 AM PDTPartly sunny11°C
    Clearwater1:30 PM PDTCloudy12°C
    Kamloops2:45 PM PDTCloudy16°C
    Surrey Lake Summit3:15 PM PDTMostly sunny9°C
    Coquihalla Summit4 PM PDTPartly sunny7°C
    Abbotsford5:30 PM PDTCloudy12°C
    Vancouver6:15 PM PDTCloudy12°C
  2. WedOct 14

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 6–17°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Edmonton7 AM MDTCloudy6°C
    Edson9 AM MDTSunny6°C
    Hinton10 AM MDTSunny8°C
    Alberta–British Columbia line10:15 AM PDTCloudy7°C
    Valemount11:15 AM PDTPartly sunny10°C
    Clearwater1:30 PM PDTMostly sunny17°C
    Kamloops2:45 PM PDTSunny17°C
    Surrey Lake Summit3:15 PM PDTMostly sunny12°C
    Coquihalla Summit4 PM PDTPartly sunny10°C
    Abbotsford5:30 PM PDTMostly sunny15°C
    Vancouver6:15 PM PDTPartly sunny13°C
  3. ThuOct 15

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 2–19°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Edmonton7 AM MDTSunny2°C
    Edson9 AM MDTPartly sunny3°C
    Hinton10 AM MDTCloudy3°C
    Alberta–British Columbia line10:15 AM PDTPartly sunny9°C
    Valemount11:15 AM PDTCloudy11°C
    Clearwater1:30 PM PDTPartly sunny15°C
    Kamloops2:45 PM PDTPartly sunny16°C
    Surrey Lake Summit3:15 PM PDTPartly sunny12°C
    Coquihalla Summit4 PM PDTPartly sunny15°C
    Abbotsford5:30 PM PDTSunny19°C
    Vancouver6:15 PM PDTSunny18°C
  4. FriOct 16

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 4–18°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Edmonton7 AM MDTMostly sunny4°C
    Edson9 AM MDTMostly sunny7°C
    Hinton10 AM MDTPartly sunny8°C
    Alberta–British Columbia line10:15 AM PDTSunny12°C
    Valemount11:15 AM PDTMostly sunny15°C
    Clearwater1:30 PM PDTPartly sunny15°C
    Kamloops2:45 PM PDTPartly sunny18°C
    Surrey Lake Summit3:15 PM PDTPartly sunny13°C
    Coquihalla Summit4 PM PDTMostly sunny14°C
    Abbotsford5:30 PM PDTMostly sunny18°C
    Vancouver6:15 PM PDTRain showers17°C
  5. SatOct 17

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 5–16°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Edmonton7 AM MDTMostly sunny9°C
    Edson9 AM MDTMostly sunny8°C
    Hinton10 AM MDTLight rain showers7°C
    Alberta–British Columbia line10:15 AM PDTRain7°C
    Valemount11:15 AM PDTMostly sunny11°C
    Clearwater1:30 PM PDTRain showers11°C
    Kamloops2:45 PM PDTCloudy16°C
    Surrey Lake Summit3:15 PM PDTPartly sunny8°C
    Coquihalla Summit4 PM PDTCloudy5°C
    Abbotsford5:30 PM PDTCloudy14°C
    Vancouver6:15 PM PDTCloudy12°C
  6. SunOct 18

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 2–13°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Edmonton7 AM MDTMostly sunny3°C
    Edson9 AM MDTMostly sunny2°C
    Hinton10 AM MDTMostly sunny3°C
    Alberta–British Columbia line10:15 AM PDTCloudy5°C
    Valemount11:15 AM PDTCloudy8°C
    Clearwater1:30 PM PDTCloudy8°C
    Kamloops2:45 PM PDTCloudy13°C
    Surrey Lake Summit3:15 PM PDTCloudy5°C
    Coquihalla Summit4 PM PDTCloudy5°C
    Abbotsford5:30 PM PDTRain11°C
    Vancouver6:15 PM PDTHeavy rain11°C
  7. MonOct 19

    CautionRain near Coquihalla Summit around 4 PM PDT.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Edmonton7 AM MDTPartly sunny4°C
    Edson9 AM MDTMostly sunny4°C
    Hinton10 AM MDTPartly sunny5°C
    Alberta–British Columbia line10:15 AM PDTLight rain7°C
    Valemount11:15 AM PDTRain showers9°C
    Clearwater1:30 PM PDTRain9°C
    Kamloops2:45 PM PDTRain11°C
    Surrey Lake Summit3:15 PM PDTRain5°C
    Coquihalla Summit4 PM PDTRain3°C
    Abbotsford5:30 PM PDTCloudy11°C
    Vancouver6:15 PM PDTPartly sunny11°C

The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.

The route, stop by stop

Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Edmonton (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.

Surrey Lake Summit · 1,444 m 0 km 1,159 km
Elevation along the route (Terrain Tiles, sampled every 8 km).
  1. Edmonton, ABStart 669 melevation
  2. Edson, ABKm 203 · 2 h 4 min 920 melevation
  3. Hinton, ABKm 288 · 2 h 56 min 1,024 melevation
  4. Alberta–British Columbia lineState line · Km 393 · 4 h 14 min 1,125 melevation
  5. Valemount, BCKm 488 · 5 h 15 min 782 melevation
  6. Clearwater, BCKm 684 · 7 h 23 min 421 melevation
  7. Kamloops, BCKm 810 · 8 h 44 min 360 melevation
  8. Surrey Lake Summit, BCMountain pass · Km 858 · 9 h 10 min 1,444 melevation
  9. Coquihalla Summit, BCMountain pass · Km 961 · 10 h 5 min 1,244 melevation
  10. Abbotsford, BCKm 1,094 · 11 h 24 min 67 melevation
  11. Vancouver, BCKm 1,159 · 12 h 13 min 45 melevation

Typical weather by month

Average daily highs and lows, and days with 2.5 cm (an inch) or more of snow, at Edmonton, Surrey Lake Summit and Vancouver.

MonthEdmonton
671 m
Surrey Lake Summit
Logan Lake station · 1,101 m
Vancouver
Vancouver Airport station · 4 m
High / low °CSnow daysHigh / low °CSnow daysHigh / low °CSnow days
Jan-7° / -16°4.7-1° / -11°3.47° / 1°1.3
Feb-2° / -12°1.53° / -9°2.08° / 2°0.3
Mar3° / -7°2.36° / -6°2.710° / 3°0.3
Apr11° / -1°1.512° / -2°1.013° / 6°0
May17° / 5°0.516° / 1°0.417° / 9°0
Jun21° / 10°019° / 5°0.120° / 12°0
Jul24° / 12°023° / 7°022° / 14°0
Aug23° / 11°023° / 7°022° / 14°0
Sep17° / 6°0.119° / 3°019° / 11°0
Oct10° / 0°1.310° / -1°1.214° / 7°0
Nov2° / -7°3.23° / -6°2.49° / 4°0.5
Dec-3° / -12°2.2-1° / -10°4.37° / 1°1.2

1991–2020 averages computed from NOAA NCEI daily station records (GHCN-Daily): EDMONTON CITY CENTRE A (CAN03012208, 671 m); LOGAN LAKE (CAN01124668, 1,101 m); VANCOUVER INT'L A (CAN01108447, 4 m). Snow days are days with at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.

Road conditions

Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for Alberta and British Columbia rather than repeat them.

Check the official forecast from Environment Canada and each road report before you leave.

Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there

Road Travel plans the drive from Edmonton to Vancouver with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.

Questions about this drive

How long is the drive from Edmonton to Vancouver?

1,159 km (720 miles), about 12 hours of driving without stops, by way of Hwy 16 and Hwy 5. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.

What is the highest point on the drive?

Surrey Lake Summit, at 1,444 m (4,738 ft). It comes at km 858, about 9 h 10 min of driving after you leave Edmonton.

Does it snow at Surrey Lake Summit in November?

The nearest long-term NOAA station, Logan Lake (1,101 m), averages 27 cm of snow in November, with about 2 days of 2.5 cm or more (1991–2020 averages).

How cold is Vancouver in January?

The nearest long-term NOAA station, Vancouver Airport (4 m), averages a high of 7°C and a low of 1°C in January (1991–2020 averages).