AI-generatedFort McMurray at a glance
- Best time
- May – Sep
- Warmest month
- Jul · 25°
- Sunshine a year
- 2,260 h
- Rain a year
- 440 mm
- Climate
- Continental
- Time zone
- UTC−7 / UTC−6
- Elevation
- 258 m
Climate in Fort McMurray
Fort McMurray has mild to warm summers and cold winters with occasional snow. July is the warmest month with average highs of 25 °C, while January is the coolest at −11 °C. With around 2,260 hours of sunshine a year, Fort McMurray is sunny; May is the sunniest month with 9.3 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Best time to visit Fort McMurray
The best time to visit Fort McMurray is from May to September. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from May to June and from August to September. The wettest month is July with 79 mm of precipitation.
Fort McMurray through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Fort McMurray in spring
Mar – May
Good
- 1–18 °C by day
- 7.8 h of sun a day
- 19 rainy days in all
Fort McMurray in summer
Jun – Aug
Excellent
- 23–25 °C by day
- 8.8 h of sun a day
- 35 rainy days in all
Fort McMurray in autumn
Sep – Nov
Fair
- −2–17 °C by day
- 4.5 h of sun a day
- 21 rainy days in all
Fort McMurray in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- −11–−6 °C by day
- 3.5 h of sun a day
- 15 rainy days in all
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No sea nearby
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
May – Jun, Aug – Sep
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Snow
Oct – Apr
Snow on 2 or more days
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Fort McMurray for you.
Your best months: June – August
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Weather in October
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: May – September
Keep in mindSnow
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about −1°
- Midday, 13:00: about 7°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 8°
- Evening, 20:00: about 4°
- Night, 23:00: about 2°
07:5618:27
Cold evenings: bring a warm jacket.
Estimated from the average high and low: coolest around sunrise, warmest in mid-afternoon.
Light for photos in October
- Golden hour
- Morning 07:32–08:49 · evening 17:34–18:50
- Blue hour
- Morning 07:17–07:32 · evening 18:50–19:05
Golden hour: the sun between 4° below and 6° above the horizon; blue hour: 6° to 4° below it. Times for the 15th of the month; mountains and clouds shift the light.
October in Fort McMurray compared with home
Loading the climate at home …
Early or late October?
In October, daytime highs fall from about 12° at the start of the month to 3° at the end. The days get 2.3 h shorter.
| October | 1 Oct | 31 Oct |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime high | 12° | 3° |
| Night-time low | 1° | −6° |
| Daylight | 11.6 h | 9.3 h |
What is the weather like in Fort McMurray in October?
In October, Fort McMurray is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−2 °C). Expect around 4.2 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 7 days, adding up to 28 mm. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Fort McMurray.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 10 h 31 min07:56 – 18:27
- UV index
- 1 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 15 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 64 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Snow days
- 2 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
- Time zone
- UTC−6offset from UTC
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %2 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %20 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %81 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “City break”.
What to pack in October
- Warm jacket
- Hat, scarf & gloves
Compare two months in Fort McMurray
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
May has the better holiday weather in Fort McMurray: score 93 against 29. In May, days are 10 °C warmer than in October. The sun shines 5 hours longer a day in May.
| Month | October | May |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 29 | 93better |
| Daytime high | 8° | 18° |
| Night-time low | −2° | 4° |
| Sunshine | 4.2 h | 9.3 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 7 | 7 |
| Rainfall | 28 mmbetter | 38 mm |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Fort McMurray month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
27January−11° · 3.1 h
In January, Fort McMurray is bitterly cold: daytime highs average −11 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−21 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 3.1 hours a day. Precipitation falls on about 5 days, totalling 17 mm; on about 4 of them it snows. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Fort McMurray.
Fort McMurray in January36February−6° · 4.8 h
In February, Fort McMurray is bitterly cold: daytime highs average −6 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−19 °C). Expect around 4.8 hours of sunshine a day. Precipitation falls on about 4 days, totalling 13 mm; on about 3 of them it snows. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Fort McMurray.
Fort McMurray in February38March1° · 6.5 h
In March, Fort McMurray is bitterly cold: daytime highs average 1 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−13 °C). The sun shines for around 6.5 hours a day. Precipitation falls on about 6 days, totalling 18 mm; on about 4 of them it snows. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Fort McMurray.
Fort McMurray in March53April10° · 7.7 h
In April, Fort McMurray is cool: daytime highs average 10 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−3 °C). The sun shines for around 7.7 hours a day. Rain falls on about 6 days, adding up to 25 mm. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, April is a so-so month for a holiday in Fort McMurray.
Fort McMurray in April93May18° · 9.3 h
In May, Fort McMurray is mild: daytime highs average 18 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. With around 9.3 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain falls on about 7 days, adding up to 38 mm. All in all, May is an excellent month for a holiday in Fort McMurray.
Fort McMurray in May83June23° · 9.0 h
In June, Fort McMurray is warm: daytime highs average 23 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. With around 9.0 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 76 mm in total. All in all, June is an excellent month for a holiday in Fort McMurray.
Fort McMurray in June81July25° · 9.3 h
In July, Fort McMurray is warm: daytime highs average 25 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. With around 9.3 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 79 mm in total. All in all, July is an excellent month for a holiday in Fort McMurray.
Fort McMurray in July84August23° · 8.2 h
In August, Fort McMurray is warm: daytime highs average 23 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sun shines for around 8.2 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 63 mm in total. All in all, August is an excellent month for a holiday in Fort McMurray.
Fort McMurray in August78September17° · 6.3 h
In September, Fort McMurray is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. Expect around 6.3 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 8 days, adding up to 47 mm. All in all, September is a good month for a holiday in Fort McMurray.
Fort McMurray in September29October8° · 4.2 h
In October, Fort McMurray is cold: daytime highs average 8 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−2 °C). Expect around 4.2 hours of sunshine a day. Rain falls on about 7 days, adding up to 28 mm. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Fort McMurray.
Fort McMurray in October26November−2° · 3.1 h
In November, Fort McMurray is bitterly cold: daytime highs average −2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−11 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 3.1 hours a day. Precipitation falls on about 6 days, totalling 18 mm; on about 5 of them it snows. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Fort McMurray.
Fort McMurray in November26December−9° · 2.6 h
In December, Fort McMurray is bitterly cold: daytime highs average −9 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−19 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 2.6 hours a day. Precipitation falls on about 6 days, totalling 18 mm; on about 5 of them it snows. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Fort McMurray.
Fort McMurray in DecemberClimate in detail
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Fort McMurray
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Frost below 0°
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
FrostOctober: nights around −2°. Heating and warm bedding are a must.
The coolest nights are in January (−21°), the warmest in July (12°). Nights fall below 8 °C on average from September to May, so the room should be heated.
Temperatures through the year
Average daytime high, night-time low and sea temperature per month.
| Month | Score | Day | Night | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 27 | −11° | −21° | 3.1 h | 5 | 17 |
| FebruaryFeb | 36 | −6° | −19° | 4.8 h | 4 | 13 |
| MarchMar | 38 | 1° | −13° | 6.5 h | 6 | 18 |
| AprilApr | 53 | 10° | −3° | 7.7 h | 6 | 25 |
| MayMay | 93 | 18° | 4° | 9.3 h | 7 | 38 |
| JuneJun | 83 | 23° | 9° | 9.0 h | 12 | 76 |
| JulyJul | 81 | 25° | 12° | 9.3 h | 13 | 79 |
| AugustAug | 84 | 23° | 10° | 8.2 h | 10 | 63 |
| SeptemberSep | 78 | 17° | 4° | 6.3 h | 8 | 47 |
| OctoberOct | 29 | 8° | −2° | 4.2 h | 7 | 28 |
| NovemberNov | 26 | −2° | −11° | 3.1 h | 6 | 18 |
| DecemberDec | 26 | −9° | −19° | 2.6 h | 6 | 18 |
Climate averages 1996–2025 (sunshine partly WMO station normals 1991–2020), not a forecast. Data: Copernicus ERA5 / ERA5-Land via Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0), NOAA OISST, WMO 1991–2020 (NOAA NCEI), GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Sources & licences
56.73° N, 111.38° W · 258 m · America/Edmonton
Sunshine hours in Fort McMurray
Average hours of bright sunshine per day, next to the length of the day. Tap a month to select it.
In October, the sun shines for about 4.2 of 10.5 hours of daylight in Fort McMurray, 40 % of the daylight hours.
Sunshine hours: estimated from radiation data (ERA5, 1996–2025) and calibrated against measured station values; no weather station is close enough here. Daylight is the time from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of the month.
Rain in Fort McMurray: rainy days and rainfall
A rainy day is a day with at least 1 mm of rain or snow; the amount is what falls in the whole month. Tap a month to select it.
In October, Fort McMurray has about 7 rainy days with 28 mm of rain in total.
UV index in Fort McMurray
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 1 · lowLittle protection needed; sunglasses on bright days.
The sun is strongest in June (UV 6).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 105 min
- Fair skin
- over 2 h
- Light brown skin
- over 2 h
- Olive skin
- over 2 h
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen the time, water, sand and snow shorten it. Sunscreen extends the time only partly.
Monthly values: clear-sky noon estimate from the sun's angle, ozone and altitude. UV today: Open-Meteo forecast.
Wind and clouds in Fort McMurray
How breezy and how cloudy Fort McMurray is through the year. Tap a month to select it on the whole page.
Wind
Typical daily peak of the wind in km/h: what the afternoon breeze usually reaches, not the gusts.
In October, the wind in Fort McMurray typically peaks at 15 km/h during the day: Beaufort 3, gentle breeze.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 64 % of the sky over Fort McMurray: variable cloud, with about 4.2 hours of sunshine a day.
Wind: mean daily maximum of the hourly wind 10 m above ground (ERA5, 1996–2025). Gusts are stronger, and the model grid of about 28 km smooths out local effects such as capes and valley winds. Clouds: mean total cloud cover of all layers over day and night (ERA5, 1996–2025). Thin high cloud counts as cover even when the sun still shines through.
Heat and humidity in Fort McMurray
How often the day gets hot in Fort McMurray (30 °C and more), and in which months heat and humidity come together. Tap a month to select it.
Heat calendar
- pleasant
- some hot or muggy days
- often muggy
- often hot
- hot and muggy
In October, Fort McMurray has about 0 hot days, with an average daytime high of 8 °C: pleasant. Heat plays no part this month.
Hot days reach at least 30 °C; a month counts as muggy when the mean dew point reaches 18 °C on at least 15 days. Averages from ERA5 and ERA5-Land, 1996–2025. Muggy nights through the year
Snow in Fort McMurray
When Fort McMurray is likely to be white: the chance of seeing snow during a week's stay, the days with fresh snow and how much falls. Tap a month to select it.
Snow calendar
- hardly any
- possible
- likely
- very likely
In October, Fort McMurray has about 2 days with at least 1 cm of fresh snow, 8 cm in total. The chance of seeing snow during a week's stay is 27 out of 100: possible.
Snow days bring at least 1 cm of fresh snow. Fresh snow comes from ERA5 snowfall (1996–2025) at the height of the place, not on the slopes above it; the snow chance also weighs whether the snow settles. An estimate from climate averages, not a snow report.
Planning a trip to Fort McMurray
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Fort McMurray in the school holidays
How the weather suits the usual holiday periods. Dates vary by school and region, so each holiday uses the months it usually falls in.
Fort McMurray has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 91) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 27).
- 48
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Fair
- 7 °C by day
- 7.3 h of sun a day
- 6 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 91
May half-term
May – Jun
ExcellentBest holidays
- 19 °C by day
- 9.2 h of sun a day
- 8 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 83
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Excellent
- 24 °C by day
- 8.6 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
- 29
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 8 °C by day
- 4.2 h of sun a day
- 7 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 27
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- −10 °C by day
- 2.9 h of sun a day
- 6 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 8 h 15 min
- Distance
- 6,430 km
- Time zone
- UTC−6
- Jet lag
- About 5 days (7 h west)
Rule of thumb for flying west: for a few days before, stay up a little later, and get afternoon and evening light at your destination.
Estimated from the straight-line distance: 30 minutes for take-off and landing plus 830 km/h cruising speed.
Compare & alternatives
Fort McMurray compared
Put Fort McMurray side by side with another destination.
Fort McMurray vs Cold Lake
In October Cold Lake has the better holiday weather (score 34 vs 29). During the day Cold Lake is 1 °C warmer than Fort McMurray.
| in October | Fort McMurray | Cold Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 29 | 34 |
| Daytime high | 8° | 9° |
| Sunshine | 4 h | 4 h |
| Rainy days | 7 | 6 |
| Best time | May – Sep | May – Sep |
Through the year
Canada in October: the best places
In October, Fort McMurray ranks 23 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.
- Okotoks12°65
- 2Drumheller13°63
- 3Fort Macleod13°63
- 4Lethbridge13°62
- 5Cochrane12°61
- 6Calgary12°56
- 7Hanna11°54
- 8Swift Current11°54
- 23Fort McMurrayThis page8°29
Near Fort McMurray
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Fort McMurray
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Fort McMurray's – good alternatives.
Frequently asked questions about Fort McMurray
When is the best time to visit Fort McMurray?
The best time to visit Fort McMurray is from May to September. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
What is the warmest month in Fort McMurray?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 25 °C and nights around 12 °C. January is the coolest month at −11 °C.
When does it rain most in Fort McMurray?
The wettest month is July with 79 mm of precipitation. The driest month is February with 13 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Fort McMurray get?
Fort McMurray gets around 2,260 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is May with 9.3 hours a day; in December there are 2.6 hours a day.
What time zone is Fort McMurray in?
Fort McMurray is on UTC−7 in January and UTC−6 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Fort McMurray?
A nonstop flight from London to Fort McMurray takes about 8 h 15 min, for a straight-line distance of about 6,430 km.
Which school holidays are best for Fort McMurray?
Fort McMurray has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 91) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 27). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 48, May half-term 91, summer holidays 83, October half-term 29, Christmas holidays 27.