Victoria Snowfall Totals & Accumulation Averages
This page pulls together information on when, how much and how often Victoria, British Columbia has snow.
There are data and descriptions here of how many days it snows and the total amount of snowfall that Victoria usually gets. There are also monthly and yearly counts of the days that Victoria normally has heavy snowstorms and deep snow accumulated on the ground. Plus there's information on when the city can expect its first and last snowfalls of the season.
All the numbers are long-term historical averages based on weather data gathered from 1981 to 2010 in central Victoria.
How Often it Snows in Victoria
This first table lists monthly and yearly totals for amount of snow and how many days it snows at least 0.2 centimetres (0.08 inches).
| Days | Inches | Centimetres | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 | January | 3.6 | 9 |
| 1.2 | February | 2.3 | 6 |
| 1.0 | March | 1.3 | 3 |
| 0.1 | October | 0.1 | 0 |
| 0.4 | November | 0.3 | 1 |
| 2.0 | December | 5.5 | 14 |
| 6.6 | Year | 13.1 | 33 |
When Victoria Has Its First & Last Snowfalls
The first snowfall of winter for Victoria usually arrives in December, but can show up as early as November or even October.
The season's last snowfall typically happens in February although in some years a late snow lands in March or April.
Victoria is normally free of snow every year from May to September.
How Many Snowstorms Victoria Gets
Most days of snowfall in Victoria leave less than five centimetres (2 inches) of fresh snow on the ground. For two days a year on average, the amount of new snow totals at least five cm.
Big snowstorms of over ten cm a day normally occur once a year. Major blizzards that dump 25 cm or more in one day are rare events that happen about once a decade, usually in December.
| 5 cm 2.0 inches |
10 cm 3.9 inches |
25 cm 9.8 inches | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| February | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 |
| March | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| December | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.1 |
| Year | 2.2 | 1.0 | 0.1 |
How Much Snow Normally Accumulates in Victoria
For about five days a year, Victoria has at least a centimetre of snow on the ground. Since it rains more than snows during winter, the remnants of a snowfall usually wash away before long. Deep snow is most likely to build up here in January.
| 1 cm 0.4 inches |
5 cm 2.0 inches |
10 cm 3.9 inches |
20 cm 7.9 inches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4 | 1.8 | January | 1.3 | 0.8 |
| 1.4 | 0.8 | February | 0.5 | 0.1 |
| 0.3 | 0.0 | November | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 0.7 | 0.3 | December | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| 4.8 | 2.9 | Year | 1.9 | 0.9 |
Reference
Environment Canada. Meteorological Service of Canada. Canadian Climate Normals. 1981-2010 Climate Normals & Averages.