Calgary Holiday Weather Overview
Calgary, situated in southern Alberta, lies very close to the Canadian Rockies, and is a popular base for tourists wishing to explore the natural beauty of this part of the world. It is an important cultural and sporting hub as well as a major Canadian finance and business centre.
Calgary's informal nickname is "Cowtown" because of the fame of the annual Calgary Stampede, one of the world's largest rodeos, which takes place in July.
Calgary's Climate
Technically, Calgary has a prairie-steppe climate. In practice, this means lots of wind, hot summers, freezing winters and very little rain. What rain there is falls mostly in the summer months, and the city receives a lot of snow in the winter.
Calgary's weather is notoriously unpredictable, however, and can change quite dramatically within hours.
Calgary in Spring
Spring comes late to Calgary - in March, average daily highs barely reach 4°C. April and May are when things begin to warm up, with highs of 11°C and 16°C respectively. Overnight lows are still very cold, however, often below freezing or barely above. There is very little rain in this period, but snow in May is not uncommon. However, the record high temperatures for May was a sweltering 32°C, so you can see why the city has a reputation for strange weather!
If you're visiting Calgary in the spring, bring layered clothing and expect the unexpected.
Calgary in Summer
By June, the city begins to hot up. Average highs of 19-23°C across the summer months can be supplanted by heat waves which take temperatures soaring into the 30s Celsius. Nights are still very cool, however, usually not exceeding 10°C, so you'll want something with long sleeves for the summer evenings. Take an umbrella too, as this is the wettest season in Calgary. It's also one of the busiest, as thousands of people descend on the town for the Calgary Stampede.
Calgary in Autumn
Autumn temperatures in Calgary drop dramatically. From daily highs of around 17°C in September, they decline to only around 3°C by the end of November. Overnight lows plummet too, reaching minus figures by the end of September and average at around -12°C by the end of November.
The first snows of the season usually arrive in mid to late September and are certainly present by mid October. If you're visiting Calgary in autumn, take warm clothing and prepare for some very cold weather.
Calgary in Winter
Calgary in winter is a winter wonderland. Expect freezing temperatures - daily highs remain below freezing throughout December, January and February, with overnight lows occasionally reaching -30°C - although something in the region of -14°C is more common.
Heavy snowfall is likely. However, a quirk of the Calgary weather is the warm Chinook winds which blow in from the mountains in the winter. These astonishing winds can raise the temperature by a massive 30°C in a matter of hours, which leads to frequent melting of snow - before the winds drop, the temperatures freeze again and more snowfall arrives. Pack cold weather clothing, but you might just be surprised!
Best months to visit Calgary?
July and August are the best month to go for holiday or travel to Calgary. The Calgary weather averages gathered from Calgary weather forecast and Calgary weather history also forecast these months temperature to be around 23°c and average of 249.2 hours of sunshine in a month.
Coldest months of Calgary?
December and February are the coldest months with temperature at around -13°c.
Which months receive most rainfall in Calgary?
June and July receive most rainfall with precipitation count of 119.69mm.
Travelling to Calgary? Check out our Weather averages of Calgary to better plan your holiday or travel.
If you would just like to know what the weather was for a past dates for research or education or you are just curious then visit our historical weather of Calgary section.