Road Travel › Drive weather

Vancouver to Banff drive weather

847 km (526 miles), about 9 hours of driving via Hwy 1. The high point is Kicking Horse Pass at 1,627 m (5,338 ft), about 8 h 23 min in.

Distance
847 km
Drive time
~9 hours
High point
1,627 m
Provinces
BC · AB

Next 7 departures

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

  1. FriNov 13

    ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 6–12°C along the way.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Vancouver7 AM MSTCloudy12°C
    Abbotsford7:45 AM MSTCloudy11°C
    Hope8:45 AM MSTPartly sunny8°C
    Surrey Lake Summit10 AM MSTPartly sunny6°C
    Kamloops10:30 AM MSTPartly sunny8°C
    Salmon Arm11:45 AM MSTPartly sunny11°C
    Rogers Pass2:45 PM CSTPartly sunny8°C
    Kicking Horse Pass4:30 PM CSTPartly sunny7°C
    Banff5:15 PM CSTPartly sunny6°C
  2. SatNov 14

    CautionHeavy rain near Vancouver around 7 AM MST.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Vancouver7 AM MSTHeavy rain9°C
    Abbotsford7:45 AM MSTPartly sunny8°C
    Hope8:45 AM MSTMostly sunny8°C
    Surrey Lake Summit10 AM MSTSunny2°C
    Kamloops10:30 AM MSTSunny10°C
    Salmon Arm11:45 AM MSTPartly sunny10°C
    Rogers Pass2:45 PM CSTPartly sunny5°C
    Kicking Horse Pass4:30 PM CSTMostly sunny4°C
    Banff5:15 PM CSTSunny5°C
  3. SunNov 15

    CautionSleet showers near Surrey Lake Summit around 10 AM MST. Also at 1 other checkpoint.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Vancouver7 AM MSTHeavy rain9°C
    Abbotsford7:45 AM MSTMostly sunny8°C
    Hope8:45 AM MSTRain showers8°C
    Surrey Lake Summit10 AM MSTSleet showers2°C
    Kamloops10:30 AM MSTLight rain showers10°C
    Salmon Arm11:45 AM MSTPartly sunny9°C
    Rogers Pass2:45 PM CSTLight rain showers3°C
    Kicking Horse Pass4:30 PM CSTPartly sunny2°C
    Banff5:15 PM CSTPartly sunny4°C
  4. MonNov 16

    CautionHeavy rain showers near Abbotsford around 7:45 AM MST. Also at 4 other checkpoints.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Vancouver7 AM MSTHeavy rain6°C
    Abbotsford7:45 AM MSTHeavy rain showers4°C
    Hope8:45 AM MSTCloudy7°C
    Surrey Lake Summit10 AM MSTSunny-1°C
    Kamloops10:30 AM MSTMostly sunny6°C
    Salmon Arm11:45 AM MSTLight rain showers6°C
    Rogers Pass2:45 PM CSTCloudy-1°C
    Kicking Horse Pass4:30 PM CSTCloudy-4°C
    Banff5:15 PM CSTPartly sunny0°C
  5. TueNov 17

    CautionFreezing, -2°C near Surrey Lake Summit around 10 AM MST. Also at 3 other checkpoints.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Vancouver7 AM MSTMostly sunny6°C
    Abbotsford7:45 AM MSTPartly sunny5°C
    Hope8:45 AM MSTCloudy7°C
    Surrey Lake Summit10 AM MSTCloudy-2°C
    Kamloops10:30 AM MSTPartly sunny4°C
    Salmon Arm11:45 AM MSTPartly sunny4°C
    Rogers Pass2:45 PM CSTPartly sunny-3°C
    Kicking Horse Pass4:30 PM CSTCloudy-6°C
    Banff5:15 PM CSTCloudy-4°C
  6. WedNov 18

    CautionFreezing, -2°C near Surrey Lake Summit around 10 AM MST. Also at 3 other checkpoints.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Vancouver7 AM MSTPartly sunny5°C
    Abbotsford7:45 AM MSTCloudy5°C
    Hope8:45 AM MSTSunny5°C
    Surrey Lake Summit10 AM MSTSunny-2°C
    Kamloops10:30 AM MSTMostly sunny3°C
    Salmon Arm11:45 AM MSTPartly sunny3°C
    Rogers Pass2:45 PM CSTMostly sunny-5°C
    Kicking Horse Pass4:30 PM CSTCloudy-5°C
    Banff5:15 PM CSTCloudy-3°C
  7. ThuNov 19

    HighFreezing, -7°C near Kicking Horse Pass around 4:30 PM CST. Also at 3 other checkpoints.

    Along the way
    Checkpoint · arrivalWeather · temperature
    Vancouver7 AM MSTPartly sunny5°C
    Abbotsford7:45 AM MSTMostly sunny3°C
    Hope8:45 AM MSTCloudy5°C
    Surrey Lake Summit10 AM MSTPartly sunny-1°C
    Kamloops10:30 AM MSTMostly sunny4°C
    Salmon Arm11:45 AM MSTPartly sunny3°C
    Rogers Pass2:45 PM CSTMostly sunny-5°C
    Kicking Horse Pass4:30 PM CSTPartly sunny-7°C
    Banff5:15 PM CSTMostly sunny-4°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.

Kicking Horse Pass · 1,627 m 0 km 847 km
Elevation along the route (Terrain Tiles, sampled every 8 km).
  1. Vancouver, BCStart 45 melevation
  2. Abbotsford, BCKm 66 · 48 min 67 melevation
  3. Hope, BCKm 150 · 1 h 42 min 45 melevation
  4. Surrey Lake Summit, BCMountain pass · Km 301 · 3 h 2 min 1,444 melevation
  5. Kamloops, BCKm 351 · 3 h 29 min 360 melevation
  6. Salmon Arm, BCKm 460 · 4 h 45 min 359 melevation
  7. Rogers Pass, BCMountain pass · Km 629 · 6 h 38 min 1,336 melevation
  8. Kicking Horse Pass, ABMountain pass · Km 781 · 8 h 23 min 1,627 melevation
  9. Banff, ABKm 847 · 9 h 12 min 1,400 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 Banff.

MonthVancouver
Vancouver Airport station · 4 m
Kicking Horse Pass
Yoho National Park station · 1,602 m
Banff
1,384 m
High / low °CSnow daysHigh / low °CHigh / low °C
Jan7° / 1°1.3-7° / -14°-3° / -14°
Feb8° / 2°0.3-4° / -14°0° / -12°
Mar10° / 3°0.32° / -10°4° / -8°
Apr13° / 6°07° / -5°10° / -3°
May17° / 9°013° / -1°15° / 0°
Jun20° / 12°016° / 3°18° / 4°
Jul22° / 14°021° / 5°22° / 6°
Aug22° / 14°020° / 4°23° / 6°
Sep19° / 11°014° / 1°18° / 2°
Oct14° / 7°05° / -3°9° / -2°
Nov9° / 4°0.5-3° / -9°1° / -9°
Dec7° / 1°1.2-9° / -15°-4° / -14°

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); BANFF (CAN03050520, 1,384 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.

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 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 Vancouver to Banff?

847 km (526 miles), about 9 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 Banff in January?

Banff averages a high of -3°C and a low of -14°C in January (1991–2020 averages).