A warm and dry July in Victoria

July is typically the driest month of the year in Victoria, and this year it was particularly dry: there was no  measurable rainfall recorded at Victoria Gonzales during the entire month.  This is actually the 6th rain-free July at Victoria Gonzales, the others being 1914, 1922, 1926, 1958, and 1984.  There have also been another 6 Julys with less than 1 mm of rain recorded.

It was a dry month throughout the region, but most other locations outside Victoria recorded at least some rain, including the University of Victoria (0.9 mm), the Victoria Airport (2.2 mm), Vancouver Airport (5.4 mm), Vancouver Harbour (14.2 mm), and Seattle (1.3 mm).

July was also warmer than average in Victoria.  The mean temperature of 17.1 was more than a full degree above the 30-year average of 16.0, and it tied for the 7th warmest July at Victoria Gonzales.    The warmest July was 17.8 degrees in 2004.  The average daily maximum/minimum temperatures for July 2018 were 21.8/12.4 compared with the normal 20.4/11.7.  Although there was a lot of talk about an extended heat wave in the region this July, it never really got that hot along the water in Victoria.  The warmest temperature recorded at Victoria Gonzales for the month was 26.4 degrees, which is below the average monthly maximum temperature for July of 27.9 degrees.

Temperatures were considerably warmer in other parts of the region.  The mean temperature at the Victoria Airport was 18.3 degrees ( with a daily max/min of 24.3/12.4).  At the University of Victoria, the July mean temperature was 18.6 (25.5/11.7).  The table below shows the average daily maximum temperature for July 2018 at a number of locations around the region.  The official Environment Canada weather stations are bolded; the other stations are from the Victoria Schoolnet weather stations.  Average temperatures ranged from a cool 19 degrees at Trial Island lightstation (just off south Oak Bay) to a toasty 27.5 degrees at Butchart Gardens, near Brentwood Bay in Central Saanich. 

Average Daily Maximum Temperature - July 2018

Canadian Climate Comparison: What are the sunniest cities in Canada?

After comparing temperature and precipitation in the 41 largest urban areas in Canada (those with at least 100,000 population), we'll now look at sunshine.

The chart below ranks the average annual hours of sunshine in the 41 largest cities in Canada, from highest to lowest.  The 7 sunniest cities are all located in the southern Prairies, but with 2,198 annual hours, Victoria comes in a very respectable 8th place out of the 41 cities.  Put another way, Victoria gets more sunshine than 82% of Canada's urban population.

Victoria is by far the sunniest of the British Columbia cities included in the ranking: Kamloops, the next sunniest B.C. city, ranks 16th out of 41, while Kelowna in the "sunny Okanagan" ranks 28th.  The other coastal B.C. cities are all near the bottom of the ranking, taking up the 37th through 40th spots.  Only St. John's Newfoundland ranks lower in terms of annual sunshine.  The difference between Victoria and the other coastal B.C. cities is striking, and again points to the importance of the Olympic Mountain rainshadow in impacting Victoria's climate.

Average Annual Sunshine Hours for Urban Areas in Canada

As with precipitation, seasonal variations are also important in comparing Canadian cities.  The chart below ranks summer (June to August) sunshine hours in Canadian cities.  Victoria moves up to rank as the third sunniest summer, after Lethbridge and Regina.  Victoria has sunnier summers than 97% of Canada's urban population.  Though well behind Victoria, the other coastal B.C. cities fare better on summer sunshine than they do on annual sunshine, with Nanaimo in 24th and Vancouver in 29th.  Cities in Atlantic Canada hold the bottom 4 spots.

Average Summer Sunshine Hours for Urban Areas in Canada

In addition to having the 3rd sunniest summers among Canadian cities, Victoria ranks as the 8th sunniest for both springs and falls.  Winter, however, is quite different.  The chart below ranks winter (December to February) sunshine hours for Canadian cities.  The top 10 sunniest winter cities include a mix of cities in the Prairies, as well as New Brunswick and Quebec.  Victoria ranks a lowly 33rd, although that is still better than any of the other B.C. cities, which fill the bottom 6 spots.  It might surprise some that Kelowna - in the "sunny Okanagan" - has the cloudiest winters among Canadian cities, but B.C.'s Interior valleys are very prone to low cloud and fog in the winter.   

Average Winter Sunshine Hours for Urban Areas in Canada