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Weather and Wildlife
From Banff's humble beginnings as a 26 square kilometer hot springs reserve, Banff National Park now consists of 6,641 square kilometers of unparalleled mountain scenery nestled in the heart of the magnificent Canadian Rockies.
Weather
While the weather is fairy unpredictable in Banff National Park, it is possible to make some generalizations. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 22°C in the Town of Banff. January is the coldest month with average lows of -15°C, though the mercury can drop into the minus thirties. The relative dryness of the air in Banff, however, makes even extreme temperatures more bearable.
In winter, visitors must be especially careful of wind chill. A temperature of -20°C on the thermometer may feel like -30°C with the wind chill. Regardless of the season, the temperature will fall about 1°C for every 200m of elevation gain.
The length of the day in Banff varies greatly throughout the year. Daylight can last as little as eight hours in December. At the end of June, the sun rises at 5:30 am and sets at 10:00 pm.
Despite the chilly climate, nearly two million visitors still flock to Banff National Park every year, a testament to the park’s great beauty. In the summer, most of the visitors are there for activities like hiking and rafting, but the winter offers its attractions as well, with skiing and snowboarding.
Click here to see the current weather forecast in Banff.
Wildlife
A proud feature of Banff National Park is the wide array of wildlife in its own backyard. It is home to large species of grizzly and black bears, mountain caribou, elk, moose and wolves. It's also home to smaller habitat including marmots, pikas and Columbian ground squirrels, and a variety of birds, featuring the bald eagles and the endangered harlequin ducks.
The best times of year to visit Banff if you're looking for wildlife are in early spring (April - May) or in fall (September - October).
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