Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 49–61°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Seattle7 AM PDT Fog56°F Bellingham8:30 AM PDT Fog52°F Abbotsford9 AM PDT Mostly sunny56°F Hope10 AM PDT Mostly sunny61°F Surrey Lake Summit11:15 AM PDT Cloudy49°F Kamloops11:45 AM PDT Cloudy56°F Salmon Arm1 PM PDT Partly sunny61°F Rogers Pass3:45 PM MDT Sunny57°F Kicking Horse Pass5:30 PM MDT Cloudy51°F Banff6:30 PM MDT Partly sunny56°F - SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 54–67°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Seattle7 AM PDT Fog55°F Bellingham8:30 AM PDT Fog54°F Abbotsford9 AM PDT Mostly sunny56°F Hope10 AM PDT Sunny66°F Surrey Lake Summit11:15 AM PDT Sunny58°F Kamloops11:45 AM PDT Sunny64°F Salmon Arm1 PM PDT Mostly sunny67°F Rogers Pass3:45 PM MDT Partly sunny62°F Kicking Horse Pass5:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny57°F Banff6:30 PM MDT Partly sunny60°F - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 54–68°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Seattle7 AM PDT Cloudy55°F Bellingham8:30 AM PDT Mostly sunny57°F Abbotsford9 AM PDT Cloudy56°F Hope10 AM PDT Cloudy64°F Surrey Lake Summit11:15 AM PDT Sunny56°F Kamloops11:45 AM PDT Sunny66°F Salmon Arm1 PM PDT Sunny68°F Rogers Pass3:45 PM MDT Sunny57°F Kicking Horse Pass5:30 PM MDT Sunny54°F Banff6:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny58°F - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 50–63°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Seattle7 AM PDT Cloudy56°F Bellingham8:30 AM PDT Partly sunny54°F Abbotsford9 AM PDT Cloudy56°F Hope10 AM PDT Partly sunny62°F Surrey Lake Summit11:15 AM PDT Partly sunny50°F Kamloops11:45 AM PDT Partly sunny61°F Salmon Arm1 PM PDT Partly sunny63°F Rogers Pass3:45 PM MDT Mostly sunny54°F Kicking Horse Pass5:30 PM MDT Sunny51°F Banff6:30 PM MDT Partly sunny56°F - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 51–64°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Seattle7 AM PDT Partly sunny54°F Bellingham8:30 AM PDT Cloudy54°F Abbotsford9 AM PDT Cloudy56°F Hope10 AM PDT Partly sunny64°F Surrey Lake Summit11:15 AM PDT Partly sunny56°F Kamloops11:45 AM PDT Partly sunny61°F Salmon Arm1 PM PDT Partly sunny63°F Rogers Pass3:45 PM MDT Partly sunny55°F Kicking Horse Pass5:30 PM MDT Partly sunny51°F Banff6:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny56°F - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 54–66°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Seattle7 AM PDT Partly sunny55°F Bellingham8:30 AM PDT Partly sunny54°F Abbotsford9 AM PDT Cloudy57°F Hope10 AM PDT Cloudy65°F Surrey Lake Summit11:15 AM PDT Cloudy58°F Kamloops11:45 AM PDT Cloudy65°F Salmon Arm1 PM PDT Cloudy66°F Rogers Pass3:45 PM MDT Cloudy57°F Kicking Horse Pass5:30 PM MDT Partly sunny54°F Banff6:30 PM MDT Cloudy58°F - FriOct 9
CautionSleet near Surrey Lake Summit around 11:15 AM PDT. Also at 1 other checkpoint.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Seattle7 AM PDT Rain57°F Bellingham8:30 AM PDT Rain54°F Abbotsford9 AM PDT Rain53°F Hope10 AM PDT Heavy rain54°F Surrey Lake Summit11:15 AM PDT Sleet35°F Kamloops11:45 AM PDT Rain48°F Salmon Arm1 PM PDT Partly sunny52°F Rogers Pass3:45 PM MDT Rain42°F Kicking Horse Pass5:30 PM MDT Rain37°F Banff6:30 PM MDT Rain42°F
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 Seattle (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Seattle, WAStart 134 ftelevation
- Bellingham, WAMile 88 · 1 h 29 min 57 ftelevation
- Abbotsford, BCMile 114 · 2 h 5 min 220 ftelevation
- Hope, BCMile 163 · 2 h 55 min 147 ftelevation
- Surrey Lake Summit, BCMountain pass · Mile 257 · 4 h 15 min 4,738 ftelevation
- Kamloops, BCMile 287 · 4 h 42 min 1,182 ftelevation
- Salmon Arm, BCMile 356 · 5 h 58 min 1,178 ftelevation
- Rogers Pass, BCMountain pass · Mile 461 · 7 h 51 min 4,383 ftelevation
- Kicking Horse Pass, ABMountain pass · Mile 555 · 9 h 36 min 5,338 ftelevation
- Banff, ABMile 596 · 10 h 25 min 4,593 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Seattle, Kicking Horse Pass and Banff.
| Month | Seattle Seattle (Sand Point) station · 60 ft | Kicking Horse Pass Yoho National Park station · 5,256 ft | Banff 4,540 ft | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | High / low °F | |
| Jan | 47° / 37° | 0.4 | 19° / 7° | 27° / 8° |
| Feb | 50° / 37° | 0.5 | 25° / 7° | 33° / 11° |
| Mar | 54° / 39° | 0 | 35° / 14° | 40° / 17° |
| Apr | 59° / 43° | 0 | 45° / 23° | 49° / 26° |
| May | 65° / 48° | 0 | 55° / 31° | 59° / 33° |
| Jun | 70° / 53° | 0 | 62° / 37° | 64° / 39° |
| Jul | 77° / 57° | 0 | 69° / 42° | 72° / 44° |
| Aug | 77° / 57° | 0 | 68° / 40° | 73° / 42° |
| Sep | 71° / 53° | 0 | 57° / 34° | 64° / 35° |
| Oct | 61° / 47° | 0 | 40° / 26° | 49° / 28° |
| Nov | 52° / 41° | 0.1 | 26° / 16° | 34° / 17° |
| Dec | 47° / 37° | 0.5 | 17° / 5° | 25° / 7° |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: SEATTLE SAND PT WSFO (USW00094290, 60 ft). 1991–2020 averages computed from NOAA NCEI daily station records (GHCN-Daily): YOHO PARK (CAN011790J1, 5,256 ft); BANFF (CAN03050520, 4,540 ft). Snow days are days with at least 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 Washington, British Columbia and Alberta rather than repeat them.
- Washington · WSDOTReal-time travel map
- Washington · winter rulesMountain pass reports and traction rules
- British Columbia · DriveBCDriveBC road conditions and cameras
- British Columbia · winter rulesWinter tire and chain rules
- Alberta · 511 Alberta511 Alberta road conditions
Check the official forecast from Environment Canada and National Weather Service 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 Seattle to Banff 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 Seattle to Banff?
596 miles, about 10 hours of driving without stops, by way of Hwy 1 and Hwy 5. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Kicking Horse Pass, at 5,338 ft. It comes at mile 555, about 9 h 36 min of driving after you leave Seattle.
How cold is Kicking Horse Pass in January?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Yoho National Park (5,256 ft), averages a high of 19°F and a low of 7°F in January (1991–2020 averages).
How cold is Banff in January?
Banff averages a high of 27°F and a low of 8°F in January (1991–2020 averages).