AI-generatedNelson, British Columbia at a glance
- Best time
- May – Jun, Sep
- Warmest month
- Jul · 30°
- Sunshine a year
- 2,170 h
- Rain a year
- 804 mm
- Climate
- Continental
- Time zone
- UTC−8 / UTC−7
- Elevation
- 541 m
Climate in Nelson, British Columbia
Nelson, British Columbia has warm to hot summers and cold winters with occasional snow. July is the warmest month with average highs of 30 °C, while December is the coolest at 1 °C. With around 2,170 hours of sunshine a year, Nelson, British Columbia is moderately sunny; July is the sunniest month with 11.2 hours a day.
Holiday weather through the year
Best time to visit Nelson, British Columbia
The best time to visit Nelson, British Columbia is from May to June and in September. Hiking and mountain trips are best from May to June and from September to October, when the trails are largely free of snow. The wettest month is November with 103 mm of precipitation.
Nelson, British Columbia through the seasons
How the weather changes over the seasons, with averages for each.
Nelson, British Columbia in spring
Mar – May
Fair
- 9–20 °C by day
- 6.3 h of sun a day
- 40 rainy days in all
Nelson, British Columbia in summer
Jun – Aug
Good
- 24–30 °C by day
- 9.7 h of sun a day
- 22 rainy days in all
Nelson, British Columbia in autumn
Sep – Nov
Fair
- 6–23 °C by day
- 4.7 h of sun a day
- 33 rainy days in all
Nelson, British Columbia in winter
Dec – Feb
Poor
- 1–4 °C by day
- 3.0 h of sun a day
- 41 rainy days in all
Which month for what?
Hiking & mountain trips
May – Jun, Sep – Oct
13–27 °C in the village, little snow
Snow
Oct – Apr
Snow on 2 or more days
Find your perfect month
Tell us what you like and we rate every month in Nelson, British Columbia for you.
Your best months: May, September
Based on the climate averages; tap a month to see its details.
Weather in October
Weather in October
Holiday weather in October
Fair
Best time to visit: May – June, September
Good forSightseeing & walks
Keep in mindSnow
A typical day in October
- Morning, 08:00: about 6°
- Midday, 13:00: about 13°
- Afternoon, 16:00: about 13°
- Evening, 20:00: about 9°
- Night, 23:00: about 7°
07:0818:01
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 06:49–07:52 · evening 17:17–18:21
- Blue hour
- Morning 06:36–06:49 · evening 18:21–18:33
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 Nelson, British Columbia compared with home
Loading the climate at home …
Early or late October?
In October, daytime highs fall from about 18° at the start of the month to 10° at the end. The days get 1.7 h shorter.
| October | 1 Oct | 31 Oct |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime high | 18° | 10° |
| Night-time low | 7° | 1° |
| Daylight | 11.7 h | 10.0 h |
What is the weather like in Nelson, British Columbia in October?
In October, Nelson, British Columbia is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. Expect around 4.5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 70 mm in total. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Nelson, British Columbia.
More details for October
- Daylight
- 10 h 53 min07:08 – 18:01
- UV index
- 2 · lowclear sky, noon (estimate)All months
- Muggy days
- 0 daysdew point 18 °C or moreAll months
- Wind
- 8 km/haverage daily peakAll months
- Cloud cover
- 65 %on averageAll months
- Hot days
- 0 days30 °C or moreAll months
- Snow days
- 3 days1 cm or more of fresh snowAll months
- Time zone
- UTC−7offset from UTC
How the score comes together
- Temperatureweight 50 %78 %
- Sunshineweight 20 %25 %
- Few rainy daysweight 30 %51 %
Each factor is rated from 0 to 100 % and weighted for the travel style “Mountain air”.
What to pack in October
- A jumper for the evenings
- Hat, scarf & gloves
- Rain jacket or umbrella
Compare two months in Nelson, British Columbia
Pick two months to see how the weather differs. A tick marks the clearly better value; for temperatures it depends on your plans.
September has the better holiday weather in Nelson, British Columbia: score 88 against 59. In September, days are 9 °C warmer than in October. September has 4 fewer rainy days. The sun shines 3 hours longer a day in September.
| Month | October | September |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 59 | 88better |
| Daytime high | 14° | 23° |
| Night-time low | 4° | 10° |
| Sunshine | 4.5 h | 7.1 hbetter |
| Rainy days | 11 | 7better |
| Rainfall | 70 mm | 40 mmbetter |
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Nelson, British Columbia month by month
The typical weather for every month at a glance.
7January2° · 2.7 h
In January, Nelson, British Columbia is bitterly cold: daytime highs average 2 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−6 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 2.7 hours a day. Precipitation falls on about 15 days, totalling 86 mm; on about 14 of them it snows. All in all, January is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nelson, British Columbia.
Nelson, British Columbia in January18February4° · 4.1 h
In February, Nelson, British Columbia is cold: daytime highs average 4 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−4 °C). Expect around 4.1 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 63 mm in total. Snow falls on about 10 days. All in all, February is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nelson, British Columbia.
Nelson, British Columbia in February28March9° · 4.8 h
In March, Nelson, British Columbia is cold: daytime highs average 9 °C, and nights cool down to about 1 °C. Expect around 4.8 hours of sunshine a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 82 mm. Snow falls on about 11 days. All in all, March is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nelson, British Columbia.
Nelson, British Columbia in March62April14° · 6.5 h
In April, Nelson, British Columbia is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. The sun shines for around 6.5 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 64 mm in total. Snow falls on about 5 days. All in all, April is a good month for a holiday in Nelson, British Columbia.
Nelson, British Columbia in April75May20° · 7.5 h
In May, Nelson, British Columbia is mild: daytime highs average 20 °C, and nights cool down to about 8 °C. The sun shines for around 7.5 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 13 rainy days and 76 mm in total. All in all, May is a good month for a holiday in Nelson, British Columbia.
Nelson, British Columbia in May81June24° · 8.2 h
In June, Nelson, British Columbia is warm: daytime highs average 24 °C, and nights cool down to about 12 °C. The sun shines for around 8.2 hours a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 70 mm in total. All in all, June is an excellent month for a holiday in Nelson, British Columbia.
Nelson, British Columbia in June61July30° · 11.2 h
In July, Nelson, British Columbia is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. With around 11.2 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain falls on about 5 days, adding up to 28 mm. On about 16 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, July is a good month for a holiday in Nelson, British Columbia.
Nelson, British Columbia in July64August30° · 9.6 h
In August, Nelson, British Columbia is hot: daytime highs average 30 °C, and nights cool down to about 16 °C. With around 9.6 hours of sunshine a day, there is plenty of sun. Rain is rare: about 5 days bring 26 mm in total. On about 16 days the thermometer climbs to 30 °C or more. All in all, August is a good month for a holiday in Nelson, British Columbia.
Nelson, British Columbia in August88September23° · 7.1 h
In September, Nelson, British Columbia is warm: daytime highs average 23 °C, and nights cool down to about 10 °C. The sun shines for around 7.1 hours a day. Rain falls on about 7 days, adding up to 40 mm. All in all, September is an excellent month for a holiday in Nelson, British Columbia.
Nelson, British Columbia in September59October14° · 4.5 h
In October, Nelson, British Columbia is cool: daytime highs average 14 °C, and nights cool down to about 4 °C. Expect around 4.5 hours of sunshine a day. Rain is frequent, with about 11 rainy days and 70 mm in total. Snow falls on about 3 days. All in all, October is a so-so month for a holiday in Nelson, British Columbia.
Nelson, British Columbia in October6November6° · 2.6 h
In November, Nelson, British Columbia is cold: daytime highs average 6 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−1 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 2.6 hours a day. It rains often – on about 15 days, adding up to 103 mm. Snow falls on about 11 days. All in all, November is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nelson, British Columbia.
Nelson, British Columbia in November6December1° · 2.3 h
In December, Nelson, British Columbia is bitterly cold: daytime highs average 1 °C, and nights often drop below freezing (−6 °C). The sun is scarce, with only about 2.3 hours a day. Precipitation falls on about 15 days, totalling 97 mm; on about 14 of them it snows. All in all, December is not an ideal month for a holiday in Nelson, British Columbia.
Nelson, British Columbia in DecemberClimate in detail
Climate through the year
Long-term monthly averages. Tap a month to see its details.
Nights and sleep in Nelson, British Columbia
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°
- Pleasant 15–20°
ColdOctober: nights around 4°. The room should be heated.
The coolest nights are in December (−6°), the warmest in July (16°). Nights are pleasant for sleeping (15 to 20 °C) from July to August. Nights fall below 8 °C on average from October 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 | Sun | Rain days | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JanuaryJan | 7 | 2° | −6° | 2.7 h | 15 | 86 |
| FebruaryFeb | 18 | 4° | −4° | 4.1 h | 11 | 63 |
| MarchMar | 28 | 9° | 1° | 4.8 h | 15 | 82 |
| AprilApr | 62 | 14° | 4° | 6.5 h | 13 | 64 |
| MayMay | 75 | 20° | 8° | 7.5 h | 13 | 76 |
| JuneJun | 81 | 24° | 12° | 8.2 h | 11 | 70 |
| JulyJul | 61 | 30° | 16° | 11.2 h | 5 | 28 |
| AugustAug | 64 | 30° | 16° | 9.6 h | 5 | 26 |
| SeptemberSep | 88 | 23° | 10° | 7.1 h | 7 | 40 |
| OctoberOct | 59 | 14° | 4° | 4.5 h | 11 | 70 |
| NovemberNov | 6 | 6° | −1° | 2.6 h | 15 | 103 |
| DecemberDec | 6 | 1° | −6° | 2.3 h | 15 | 97 |
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
49.50° N, 117.29° W · 541 m · America/Vancouver
Sunshine hours in Nelson, British Columbia
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 4.5 of 10.9 hours of daylight in Nelson, British Columbia, 41 % 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 Nelson, British Columbia: 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, Nelson, British Columbia has about 11 rainy days with 70 mm of rain in total.
UV index in Nelson, British Columbia
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 55 min
- Fair skin
- about 70 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 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 Nelson, British Columbia
How breezy and how cloudy Nelson, British Columbia 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 Nelson, British Columbia typically peaks at 8 km/h during the day: Beaufort 2, light breeze or less.
Clouds
Average share of the sky covered by cloud, day and night.
In October, cloud covers on average 65 % of the sky over Nelson, British Columbia: mostly cloudy, with about 4.5 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 Nelson, British Columbia
How often the day gets hot in Nelson, British Columbia (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, Nelson, British Columbia 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 Nelson, British Columbia
When Nelson, British Columbia 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, Nelson, British Columbia has about 3 days with at least 1 cm of fresh snow, 12 cm in total. The chance of seeing snow during a week's stay is 35 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 Nelson, British Columbia
Weather for your travel dates
Pick your arrival and length of stay, and we sum up the weather to expect.
Nelson, British Columbia 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.
Nelson, British Columbia has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 76) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 7).
- 52
Easter holidays
Mar – Apr
Fair
- 12 °C by day
- 6.0 h of sun a day
- 13 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
- 76
May half-term
May – Jun
GoodBest holidays
- 21 °C by day
- 7.6 h of sun a day
- 13 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
- 63
Summer holidays
Jul – Aug
Good
- 30 °C by day
- 10.2 h of sun a day
- 5 rainy days a month
- 59
October half-term
Oct
Fair
- 14 °C by day
- 4.5 h of sun a day
- 11 rainy days a month
Good for: Sightseeing & walks
Keep in mind: Snow
- 7
Christmas holidays
Dec – Jan
Poor
- 1 °C by day
- 2.5 h of sun a day
- 15 rainy days a month
Keep in mind: Snow
Based on the climate averages 1996–2025.
Getting there
Flying from
- Nonstop flight
- about 9 h 20 min
- Distance
- 7,300 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.
Compare & alternatives
Nelson, British Columbia compared
Put Nelson, British Columbia side by side with another destination.
Nelson vs Cranbrook
In October the holiday weather in Nelson and Cranbrook is about equally good (score 59 vs 56). During the day Cranbrook is 2 °C cooler than Nelson.
| in October | Nelson | Cranbrook |
|---|---|---|
| Holiday weather score | 59 | 56 |
| Daytime high | 14° | 12° |
| Sunshine | 5 h | 5 h |
| Rainy days | 11 | 9 |
| Best time | May – Jun, Sep | May – Sep |
Through the year
Canada in October: the best places
In October, Nelson, British Columbia ranks 10 among the 31 nearest destinations in this country.
- Okotoks12°65
- 2Osoyoos (Okanagan)15°64
- 3Lillooet15°64
- 4Fort Macleod13°63
- 5Drumheller13°63
- 6Kelowna15°62
- 7Lethbridge13°62
- 8Cochrane12°61
- 10NelsonThis page14°59
Near Nelson, British Columbia
Other destinations close by.
Places with a climate like Nelson, British Columbia
Destinations whose weather through the year is closest to Nelson, British Columbia's – good alternatives.
Frequently asked questions about Nelson, British Columbia
When is the best time to visit Nelson, British Columbia?
The best time to visit Nelson, British Columbia is from May to June and in September. That is when the holiday weather score, which combines temperature, sea, sunshine and rain, is highest.
What is the warmest month in Nelson, British Columbia?
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 30 °C and nights around 16 °C. December is the coolest month at 1 °C.
When does it rain most in Nelson, British Columbia?
The wettest month is November with 103 mm of precipitation. The driest month is August with 26 mm.
How many hours of sunshine does Nelson, British Columbia get?
Nelson, British Columbia gets around 2,170 hours of sunshine a year. The sunniest month is July with 11.2 hours a day; in December there are 2.3 hours a day.
What time zone is Nelson, British Columbia in?
Nelson, British Columbia is on UTC−8 in January and UTC−7 in July.
How long is the flight from London to Nelson, British Columbia?
A nonstop flight from London to Nelson, British Columbia takes about 9 h 20 min, for a straight-line distance of about 7,300 km.
Which school holidays are best for Nelson, British Columbia?
Nelson, British Columbia has its best school-holiday weather during May half-term (score 76) and its weakest during the Christmas holidays (score 7). Holiday ratings (0–100): Easter holidays 52, May half-term 76, summer holidays 63, October half-term 59, Christmas holidays 7.