Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 8–16°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Vancouver7 AM PDT Partly sunny14°C Abbotsford7:45 AM PDT Partly sunny11°C Hope8:45 AM PDT Partly sunny13°C Surrey Lake Summit10 AM PDT Cloudy8°C Kamloops10:30 AM PDT Cloudy12°C Salmon Arm11:45 AM PDT Fog14°C Rogers Pass2:45 PM MDT Sunny13°C Kicking Horse Pass4:30 PM MDT Partly sunny11°C Canmore5:30 PM MDT Sunny16°C Calgary6:30 PM MDT Partly sunny13°C - SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 12–19°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Vancouver7 AM PDT Fog14°C Abbotsford7:45 AM PDT Fog12°C Hope8:45 AM PDT Sunny14°C Surrey Lake Summit10 AM PDT Sunny12°C Kamloops10:30 AM PDT Sunny16°C Salmon Arm11:45 AM PDT Mostly sunny18°C Rogers Pass2:45 PM MDT Mostly sunny17°C Kicking Horse Pass4:30 PM MDT Partly sunny15°C Canmore5:30 PM MDT Partly sunny19°C Calgary6:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny15°C - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 12–19°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Vancouver7 AM PDT Cloudy13°C Abbotsford7:45 AM PDT Cloudy13°C Hope8:45 AM PDT Cloudy16°C Surrey Lake Summit10 AM PDT Partly sunny12°C Kamloops10:30 AM PDT Partly sunny18°C Salmon Arm11:45 AM PDT Sunny19°C Rogers Pass2:45 PM MDT Sunny14°C Kicking Horse Pass4:30 PM MDT Sunny12°C Canmore5:30 PM MDT Sunny16°C Calgary6:30 PM MDT Sunny19°C - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–17°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Vancouver7 AM PDT Partly sunny13°C Abbotsford7:45 AM PDT Cloudy12°C Hope8:45 AM PDT Partly sunny15°C Surrey Lake Summit10 AM PDT Cloudy9°C Kamloops10:30 AM PDT Mostly sunny15°C Salmon Arm11:45 AM PDT Partly sunny17°C Rogers Pass2:45 PM MDT Mostly sunny12°C Kicking Horse Pass4:30 PM MDT Sunny11°C Canmore5:30 PM MDT Sunny15°C Calgary6:30 PM MDT Sunny15°C - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 11–16°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Vancouver7 AM PDT Cloudy14°C Abbotsford7:45 AM PDT Cloudy13°C Hope8:45 AM PDT Partly sunny16°C Surrey Lake Summit10 AM PDT Partly sunny12°C Kamloops10:30 AM PDT Partly sunny15°C Salmon Arm11:45 AM PDT Partly sunny16°C Rogers Pass2:45 PM MDT Partly sunny13°C Kicking Horse Pass4:30 PM MDT Partly sunny11°C Canmore5:30 PM MDT Cloudy15°C Calgary6:30 PM MDT Mostly sunny13°C - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 12–18°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Vancouver7 AM PDT Partly sunny14°C Abbotsford7:45 AM PDT Cloudy13°C Hope8:45 AM PDT Cloudy16°C Surrey Lake Summit10 AM PDT Cloudy13°C Kamloops10:30 AM PDT Cloudy18°C Salmon Arm11:45 AM PDT Cloudy18°C Rogers Pass2:45 PM MDT Cloudy14°C Kicking Horse Pass4:30 PM MDT Partly sunny12°C Canmore5:30 PM MDT Partly sunny16°C Calgary6:30 PM MDT Cloudy16°C - FriOct 9
CautionHeavy rain near Surrey Lake Summit around 10 AM PDT. Also at 1 other checkpoint.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Vancouver7 AM PDT Heavy rain13°C Abbotsford7:45 AM PDT Rain12°C Hope8:45 AM PDT Heavy rain12°C Surrey Lake Summit10 AM PDT Heavy rain2°C Kamloops10:30 AM PDT Rain9°C Salmon Arm11:45 AM PDT Partly sunny11°C Rogers Pass2:45 PM MDT Rain5°C Kicking Horse Pass4:30 PM MDT Rain3°C Canmore5:30 PM MDT Heavy rain showers5°C Calgary6:30 PM MDT Rain5°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 Vancouver (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Vancouver, BCStart 45 melevation
- Abbotsford, BCKm 66 · 48 min 67 melevation
- Hope, BCKm 150 · 1 h 42 min 45 melevation
- Surrey Lake Summit, BCMountain pass · Km 301 · 3 h 2 min 1,444 melevation
- Kamloops, BCKm 351 · 3 h 29 min 360 melevation
- Salmon Arm, BCKm 460 · 4 h 45 min 359 melevation
- Rogers Pass, BCMountain pass · Km 629 · 6 h 38 min 1,336 melevation
- Kicking Horse Pass, ABMountain pass · Km 781 · 8 h 23 min 1,627 melevation
- Canmore, ABKm 869 · 9 h 24 min 1,308 melevation
- Calgary, ABKm 972 · 10 h 30 min 1,047 melevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with 2.5 cm (an inch) or more of snow, at Vancouver, Kicking Horse Pass and Calgary.
| Month | Vancouver Vancouver Airport station · 4 m | Kicking Horse Pass Yoho National Park station · 1,602 m | Calgary Calgary Airport station · 1,084 m | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °C | Snow days | High / low °C | High / low °C | Snow days | |
| Jan | 7° / 1° | 1.3 | -7° / -14° | -2° / -14° | 2.2 |
| Feb | 8° / 2° | 0.3 | -4° / -14° | 1° / -11° | 2.1 |
| Mar | 10° / 3° | 0.3 | 2° / -10° | 4° / -8° | 3.0 |
| Apr | 13° / 6° | 0 | 7° / -5° | 11° / -2° | 2.6 |
| May | 17° / 9° | 0 | 13° / -1° | 16° / 3° | 1.4 |
| Jun | 20° / 12° | 0 | 16° / 3° | 19° / 7° | 0 |
| Jul | 22° / 14° | 0 | 21° / 5° | 23° / 10° | 0 |
| Aug | 22° / 14° | 0 | 20° / 4° | 23° / 9° | 0 |
| Sep | 19° / 11° | 0 | 14° / 1° | 18° / 4° | 0.4 |
| Oct | 14° / 7° | 0 | 5° / -3° | 11° / -1° | 1.3 |
| Nov | 9° / 4° | 0.5 | -3° / -9° | 4° / -8° | 2.3 |
| Dec | 7° / 1° | 1.2 | -9° / -15° | 0° / -12° | 1.9 |
1991–2020 averages computed from NOAA NCEI daily station records (GHCN-Daily): VANCOUVER INT'L A (CAN01108447, 4 m); YOHO PARK (CAN011790J1, 1,602 m); CALGARY INT'L A (CAN03031093, 1,084 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 British Columbia and Alberta rather than repeat them.
- 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 each road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Vancouver to Calgary 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 Vancouver to Calgary?
972 km (604 miles), about 11 hours of driving without stops, by way of Hwy 1. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Kicking Horse Pass, at 1,627 m (5,338 ft). It comes at km 781, about 8 h 23 min of driving after you leave Vancouver.
How cold is Kicking Horse Pass in January?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Yoho National Park (1,602 m), averages a high of -7°C and a low of -14°C in January (1991–2020 averages).
How cold is Calgary in January?
The nearest long-term NOAA station, Calgary Airport (1,084 m), averages a high of -2°C and a low of -14°C in January (1991–2020 averages).