AI-generatedNanaimo at a glance
- Best time
- Jul – Aug
- Warmest month
- Aug · 24°
- Warmest sea
- Aug · 17.6°
- Sunshine a year
- 2,160 h
- Rain a year
- 1,350 mm
- Climate
- Maritime
- Time zone
- UTC−8 / UTC−7
- Elevation
- 16 m
Climate in Nanaimo
Nanaimo has a maritime climate with moderate summers and cool, often grey winters. August is the warmest month with average highs of 24 °C, while December is the coolest at 6 °C. With around 2,160 hours of sunshine a year, Nanaimo is moderately sunny; July is the sunniest month with 10.8 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Poor
Best time to visit: July – August
Keep in mindFrequent rain
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 9°
- Midday, 13:00: about 13°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 13°
- Evening, 20:00: about 11°
- Night, 23:00: about 10°
07:3518:28
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 07:15–08:18 · evening 17:45–18:48
- Blue hour
- Morning 07:03–07:15 · evening 18:48–19:00
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.
What is the weather like in Nanaimo in October?
In October, Nanaimo is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 11.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 137 mm. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nanaimo.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 10 h 53 min07:35 – 18:28
- UV index
- 2 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 12 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 64 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Snow days
- 0 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
- Time zone
- UTC−7America/Vancouver
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 35 %0 %
- Seaweight 25 %0 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %23 %
- Few rainy daysweight 20 %26 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Sun, sea & sand”.
What to pack in October
- A jumper for the evenings
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Sea temperature in Nanaimo
Monthly sea surface temperature with the range of cooler and warmer years.
8 in 10 years: 11.0 – 12.5 °C
Swimming season: Never above 20 °C
- cold
- fresh
- refreshing
- pleasant
- warm
- very warm
The sea temperature in Nanaimo ranges from 6.9 °C in January to 17.6 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
From November to January the sea is even warmer than the afternoon air. The sea temperature varies from year to year: in August, eight out of ten years were between 16.5 and 18.7 °C.
| Month | Average | Cool year | Warm year | Feels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 6.9° | 6.4° | 7.4° | cold |
| FebruaryFeb | 7.0° | 6.4° | 7.5° | cold |
| MarchMar | 7.8° | 7.0° | 8.5° | cold |
| AprilApr | 9.8° | 9.0° | 10.7° | cold |
| MayMay | 12.8° | 11.7° | 14.1° | cold |
| JuneJun | 15.2° | 14.3° | 16.4° | cold |
| JulyJul | 17.3° | 16.5° | 18.1° | fresh |
| AugustAug | 17.6° | 16.5° | 18.7° | fresh |
| SeptemberSep | 15.1° | 14.3° | 16.2° | cold |
| OctoberOct | 11.6° | 11.0° | 12.5° | cold |
| NovemberNov | 9.1° | 8.5° | 9.6° | cold |
| DecemberDec | 7.6° | 7.0° | 8.2° | cold |
Sunshine hours in Nanaimo
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 4.4 of 10.9 hours of daylight in Nanaimo, 40 % of the day.
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.
UV index in Nanaimo
How strong the sun is at noon, month by month, and how quickly unprotected skin burns.
- Clear-sky UV in October
- 2 · lowLittle protection needed; sunglasses on bright days.
The sun is strongest in June (UV 8).
Minutes until sunburn in October
- Very fair skin
- about 60 min
- Fair skin
- about 75 min
- Light brown skin
- about 100 min
- Olive skin
- over 2 h
Rough guide for unprotected skin at noon under a clear sky; clouds lengthen it, 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.
Rain in Nanaimo: 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, Nanaimo has about 14 rainy days with 137 mm of rain in total.
Wind and clouds in Nanaimo
How breezy and how cloudy Nanaimo 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 Nanaimo typically peaks at 12 km/h during the day: Beaufort 3, light breeze.
Breezy months for windsurfing and kiting
The daily breeze rarely reaches Beaufort 4 (20 km/h), so wind sports depend on single windy days.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 64 % of the sky over Nanaimo: variable cloud, with about 4.4 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 Nanaimo
How often the day gets hot in Nanaimo (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, Nanaimo has about 0 hot days, with an average daytime high of 14 °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 Nanaimo
Snow is possible in Nanaimo, but no month makes it likely: 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, it hardly ever snows in Nanaimo.
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.
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Nanaimo
How warm the nights get in each month, from the mean night-time low. Tap a month for details.
- Cold 0–8°
- Cool 8–15°
- Pleasant 15–20°
CoolOctober: nights around 8°. A duvet at night and a jumper for the evening.
The coolest nights are in January (2°), the warmest in August (15°). Nights are pleasant for sleeping (15 to 20 °C) from July to August. Nights fall below 8 °C on average from November to April, 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 | Sea | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 0 | 6° | 2° | 6.9° | 2.5 h | 18 | 197 |
| FebruaryFeb | 8 | 7° | 2° | 7.0° | 3.7 h | 14 | 117 |
| MarchMar | 6 | 9° | 3° | 7.8° | 4.5 h | 18 | 142 |
| AprilApr | 16 | 12° | 6° | 9.8° | 6.4 h | 15 | 98 |
| MayMay | 24 | 17° | 9° | 12.8° | 7.9 h | 12 | 74 |
| JuneJun | 35 | 20° | 12° | 15.2° | 8.8 h | 10 | 60 |
| JulyJul | 65 | 24° | 15° | 17.3° | 10.8 h | 6 | 31 |
| AugustAug | 68 | 24° | 15° | 17.6° | 9.7 h | 5 | 32 |
| SeptemberSep | 31 | 20° | 12° | 15.1° | 7.2 h | 9 | 68 |
| OctoberOct | 10 | 14° | 8° | 11.6° | 4.4 h | 14 | 137 |
| NovemberNov | 1 | 9° | 4° | 9.1° | 2.6 h | 18 | 199 |
| DecemberDec | 0 | 6° | 2° | 7.6° | 2.2 h | 18 | 195 |
Climate averages 1996–2025, 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
49.17° N, 123.94° W · 16 m · America/Vancouver
Best time to visit Nanaimo
The best time to visit Nanaimo is from July to August. The sea stays too cool for a classic beach holiday: even in August it only reaches 17.6 °C. For sightseeing, day trips and hiking, conditions are most comfortable from June to September. Rain is most frequent from October to May; the wettest month is November with 199 mm.
Nanaimo through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Nanaimo in spring
Mar – May
Poor
- 9–17 °C by day
- Sea 10 °C
- 6 h of sun a day
- 45 rainy days in all
Nanaimo in summer
Jun – Aug
Fair
- 20–24 °C by day
- Sea 17 °C
- 10 h of sun a day
- 21 rainy days in all
Nanaimo in autumn
Sep – Nov
Poor
- 9–20 °C by day
- Sea 12 °C
- 5 h of sun a day
- 41 rainy days in all
Nanaimo in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- 6–7 °C by day
- Sea 7 °C
- 3 h of sun a day
- 50 rainy days in all
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Nanaimo for you.
Your best months: July – August
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Compare two months in Nanaimo
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
August has the better holiday weather in Nanaimo: score 68 against 10. In August, days are 10 °C warmer than in October. The sea is 6 °C warmer in August. August has 9 fewer rainy days. The sun shines 5 hours longer a day in August.
| Month | October | August |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 10 | 68better |
| Day high | 14° | 24° |
| Night low | 8° | 15° |
| Sea | 11.6° | 17.6° |
| Sunshine | 4.4 h | 9.7 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 14 | 5better |
| Rainfall | 137 mm | 32 mmbetter |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Which month for what?
Beach & swimming
No month
Sea from 21 °C, warm and mostly dry
Sightseeing & hiking
Jun – Sep
15–28 °C and not too much rain
Rainy months
Oct – May
12 or more rainy days
Snow
Dec – Feb
Snow on 2 or more days
Nanaimo month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
0January6° · Sea 7° · 3 h
In January, Nanaimo is cold: daytime highs average 6 °C, and nights cool down to about 2 °C. The sea averages 6.9 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 197 mm. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nanaimo.
Nanaimo in January8February7° · Sea 7° · 4 h
In February, Nanaimo is cold: daytime highs average 7 °C, and nights cool down to about 2 °C. The sea averages 7.0 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 4 hours a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 117 mm. Snow falls on about 2 days. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nanaimo.
Nanaimo in February6March9° · Sea 8° · 5 h
In March, Nanaimo is cold: daytime highs average 9 °C, and nights cool down to about 3 °C. The sea averages 7.8 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 5 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 142 mm. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nanaimo.
Nanaimo in March16April12° · Sea 10° · 6 h
In April, Nanaimo is cool: daytime highs average 12 °C, and nights cool down to about 6 °C. The sea averages 9.8 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 6 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 98 mm. All in all, April is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nanaimo.
Nanaimo in April24May17° · Sea 13° · 8 h
In May, Nanaimo is mild: daytime highs average 17 °C, and nights cool down to about 9 °C. The sea averages 12.8 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 8 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 12 rainy days and 74 mm in total. All in all, May is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nanaimo.
Nanaimo in May35June20° · Sea 15° · 9 h
In June, Nanaimo is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 15.2 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 9 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 10 rainy days and 60 mm in total. All in all, June is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nanaimo.
Nanaimo in June65July24° · Sea 17° · 11 h
In July, Nanaimo is warm: daytime highs average 24 °C, and nights cool down to about 15 °C. The sea averages 17.3 °C – bracing, so a wetsuit helps for longer swims. With around 11 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain falls on about 6 days, adding up to 31 mm. All in all, July is a good month for a holiday in Nanaimo.
Nanaimo in July68August24° · Sea 18° · 10 h
In August, Nanaimo is warm: daytime highs average 24 °C, and nights cool down to about 15 °C. The sea averages 17.6 °C – bracing, so a wetsuit helps for longer swims. With around 10 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain falls on about 5 days, adding up to 32 mm. All in all, August is a good month for a holiday in Nanaimo.
Nanaimo in August31September20° · Sea 15° · 7 h
In September, Nanaimo is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sea averages 15.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun shines for around 7 hours a day. Rain falls on about 9 days, adding up to 68 mm. All in all, September is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nanaimo.
Nanaimo in September10October14° · Sea 12° · 4 h
In October, Nanaimo is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sea averages 11.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. Expect around 4 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 14 days, adding up to 137 mm. All in all, October is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nanaimo.
Nanaimo in October1November9° · Sea 9° · 3 h
In November, Nanaimo is cold: daytime highs average 9 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sea averages 9.1 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 3 hours a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 199 mm. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nanaimo.
Nanaimo in November0December6° · Sea 8° · 2 h
In December, Nanaimo is cold: daytime highs average 6 °C, and nights cool down to about 2 °C. The sea averages 7.6 °C – swimming is only for the hardy. The sun is scarce, with only about 2 hours a day. It rains often – on about 18 days, adding up to 195 mm. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nanaimo.
Nanaimo in DecemberNanaimo compared
Put Nanaimo side by side with another destination.
No destination found
Nanaimo vs. Gibsons
In October the holiday weather in Nanaimo and Gibsons is about equally good (score 10 vs. 6). During the day Gibsons is 1 °C cooler than Nanaimo. The sea is about equally warm.
| in October | Nanaimo | Gibsons |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday score | 10 | 6 |
| Daytime high | 14° | 13° |
| Sea | 12° | 12° |
| Sunshine | 4 h | 4 h |
| Rainy days | 14 | 17 |
| Best time | Jul – Aug | Jul – Aug |
Through the year
Canada in October: the best places
In October, Nanaimo ranks 26 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.
- Osoyoos (Okanagan)14°58
- 2Kelowna14°57
- 3Summerland13°54
- 4Penticton (Okanagan)14°54
- 5Calgary11°48
- 6Kamloops13°44
- 7Saskatoon10°41
- 8Regina10°40
- 26NanaimoThis page14°12°10
Planning a trip to Nanaimo
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Nanaimo 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.
Nanaimo has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 67) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 0).
- 13
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Poor
- 11 °C by day
- Sea 9 °C
- 5.8 h of sun a day
- 15 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 26
May half-term
May – Jun
Poor
- 17 °C by day
- Sea 13 °C
- 8.1 h of sun a day
- 12 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 67
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
GoodBest holidays
- 24 °C by day
- Sea 17 °C
- 10.1 h of sun a day
- 5 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 10
October half-term
Oct
Poor
- 14 °C by day
- Sea 12 °C
- 4.4 h of sun a day
- 14 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain
- 0
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- 6 °C by day
- Sea 7 °C
- 2.4 h of sun a day
- 18 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Frequent rain, Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 9 h 40 min
- Distance
- 7,610 km
- Time zone
- UTC−7
- Jet lag
- About 5 days (8 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.
Frequently asked questions about Nanaimo
When is the best time to visit Nanaimo?
The best time to visit Nanaimo is from July to August. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
How warm is the sea in Nanaimo?
The sea temperature in Nanaimo ranges from 6.9 °C in January to 17.6 °C in August. Even at its warmest the sea stays below 20 °C, so swimming is bracing at best.
Can you swim in Nanaimo in October?
Only if you don't mind cold water: in October the sea averages just 11.6 °C. Comfortable swimming temperatures are not reached at any time of year.
What is the warmest month in Nanaimo?
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 24 °C and nights around 15 °C. December is the coolest month at 6 °C.
When does it rain most in Nanaimo?
Rain is most frequent from October to May; the wettest month is November with 199 mm. The driest month is July with 31 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Nanaimo get?
Nanaimo gets around 2,160 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is July with 10.8 hours a day; in December there are 2.2 hours a day.
What time zone is Nanaimo in?
Nanaimo uses the time zone America/Vancouver: UTC−8 in January and UTC−7 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Nanaimo?
A nonstop flight from London to Nanaimo takes about 9 h 40 min, for a straight-line distance of about 7,610 km.
Which school holidays are best for Nanaimo?
Nanaimo has its best school-holiday weather during the summer holidays (score 67) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 0). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 13, May half-term 26, Summer holidays 67, October half-term 10, Christmas holidays 0.
Near Nanaimo
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Nanaimo
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Nanaimo's – good alternatives.