---
title: "Prince George climate: weather by month, records and normals"
description: "Prince George climate normals for 1991–2020: monthly highs and lows, snowfall, rain, sunshine and record temperatures, plus tips for every season."
url: https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/climate/
markdown: https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/climate.md
site: PG Pulse (https://princegeorgepulse.ca), The pulse of Prince George, British Columbia
generated: 2026-10-16T16:32:09.788Z
---

# Prince George climate: weather by month, records and normals

Prince George climate normals for 1991–2020: monthly highs and lows, snowfall, rain, sunshine and record temperatures, plus tips for every season.

Updated September 30, 2026

![Sun dogs, bright spots of light on either side of the sun, over snowy Prince George on a very cold day](https://princegeorgepulse-media.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/prince-george/guides/sun-dogs-bright-spots-light-either-side-sun-f15107-526.webp)

Photo: Bini Ball, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons

## At a glance

- Humid continental climate: cold, snowy winters and warm, fairly short summers.
- Airport normals (1991–2020): January mean −7.8°C, July mean 15.9°C, July average high 22.6°C.
- About 590 mm of precipitation a year, including roughly 204 cm of snow.
- Coldest on record: −50.0°C at the airport on January 2, 1950.
- Official record high: 38.9°C on July 17, 1941. The Prince George Massey station reached 40.1°C in the June 2021 heat dome.

Prince George has a true four-season climate. Winters are cold and snowy, summers are warm and bright, and spring and fall can feel short. The numbers below are official **1991–2020 climate normals** for Prince George Airport (YXS), published by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The airport sits on the plateau at about 691 m, a little higher and slightly cooler than the valley floor downtown.

For today’s conditions see the [weather dashboard](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/dashboard/weather/). To compare this season with the long-term record, open the [climate dashboard](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/dashboard/climate/).

## The climate type

Climatologists classify Prince George as **humid continental** (Köppen _Dfb_ ), close to the boundary with subarctic. Its inland position, elevation and latitude near 54° N all push it colder than the coast. Mountain ranges to the west block much of the Pacific moisture, so it is far drier than Prince Rupert or Vancouver.

Two kinds of air take turns in winter. When mild Pacific air flows in, January can hover near freezing for weeks. When cold Arctic air slides south from the Yukon and northern BC, it can pool in the bowl and stay for days.

## Month by month

Temperatures in °C, precipitation in mm, snowfall in cm. Airport normals, 1991–2020.

| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Mean | Precip | Snow |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| January | −3.9 | −11.7 | −7.8 | 49.5 | 52.7 |
| February | −0.7 | −10.0 | −5.4 | 30.5 | 26.3 |
| March | 4.8 | −6.2 | −0.7 | 29.2 | 23.7 |
| April | 11.1 | −1.3 | 4.9 | 37.4 | 7.7 |
| May | 17.2 | 3.3 | 10.3 | 45.4 | 2.0 |
| June | 20.2 | 7.2 | 13.7 | 68.2 | 0.0 |
| July | 22.6 | 9.1 | 15.9 | 64.4 | 0.0 |
| August | 22.2 | 8.0 | 15.1 | 47.1 | 0.0 |
| September | 16.9 | 4.0 | 10.4 | 54.8 | 0.5 |
| October | 9.2 | −0.6 | 4.4 | 66.4 | 9.8 |
| November | 1.3 | −5.5 | −2.1 | 56.7 | 34.5 |
| December | −3.0 | −10.3 | −6.7 | 40.8 | 46.8 |
| **Year** | **9.8** | **−1.2** | **4.3** | **590.2** | **203.9** |

A few things stand out:

- **June and July are the wettest months**, thanks to afternoon showers and thunderstorms, but they are also the sunniest.
- **February to April is the driest stretch** of the year.
- **Nights stay cool even in summer.** The average July low is about 9°C, so bring a sweater for evenings at the lake.
- A station in the valley near the Fraser averages about 1°C warmer than the airport year-round.

## Records and extremes

| Record | Value | Where and when |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Coldest temperature | −50.0°C | Prince George Airport, January 2, 1950 |
| Hottest at the airport | 38.4°C | Prince George Airport, June 28, 2021 |
| Hottest in the long-term city record | 38.9°C | Prince George town station, July 17, 1941 |
| Hottest in the Prince George area | 40.1°C | Prince George Massey automated station, June 28, 2021 |
| Coldest wind chill | −51.5 | Airport, January |
| Highest humidex | 37.3 | Airport, July |

The June 2021 figures came during the Pacific Northwest heat dome, when temperature records fell across British Columbia.

![Long icicles hanging from the glass roof of UNBC's Student Services Street](https://princegeorgepulse-media.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/prince-george/guides/long-icicles-hanging-glass-roof-unbcs-student-services-f9fee4-1280.webp)

Icicles at UNBC on Cranbrook Hill. Photo: RadRafe, public domain via Wikimedia Commons

## Season by season

### Winter (December to February)

Expect short days (about 7.5 hours of daylight at the solstice), snow on the ground and daytime highs a few degrees below zero. Cold snaps below −25°C happen most winters. On calm, frigid mornings you may see **ice fog**, **sun dogs** and brilliant hoarfrost. Plug in block heaters and use winter tires. See [winter activities](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/visit/winter-activities/).

### Spring (March to May)

Spring arrives quickly. March still has snow and cold nights, but by late April the snowpack melts and the rivers rise. **Freshet** on the Fraser and Nechako usually peaks between May and June. Watch the [rivers dashboard](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/dashboard/rivers/) during high water.

### Summer (June to August)

Long days, with about 17 hours of daylight in late June, bring warm afternoons in the low to mid 20s and occasional heat waves above 30°C. Thunderstorms are common. **Wildfire smoke** can drift in from fires around the province, so check the [wildfire](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/dashboard/wildfire/) and [air quality](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/dashboard/air-quality/) dashboards before planning outdoor days.

### Fall (September to November)

September is often lovely, with crisp mornings, sunny afternoons and brilliant yellow aspen and birch. Frost is common by late September, and snow that stays usually arrives in November. October is one of the wetter months.

![A rainbow arching over the rooftops and trees of Prince George](https://princegeorgepulse-media.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/prince-george/guides/rainbow-over-prince-george-skyline-8903e7-1280.webp)

A rainbow over the city after a passing shower. Photo: Tim Wenzel, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

## Air quality and inversions

Because much of the city sits in a river valley, still, cold air can get trapped under a layer of warmer air in winter. These **temperature inversions** hold smoke and industrial emissions close to the ground, and the province may issue air quality advisories. The [air quality dashboard](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/dashboard/air-quality/) shows current fine-particulate readings.

## A changing climate

Northern BC has warmed noticeably over the past century, and glaciers in the nearby Rocky and Cariboo mountains have retreated. Recent years have brought record heat, longer wildfire seasons and variable snowpacks. Our [climate dashboard](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/dashboard/climate/) tracks how current temperatures compare with the 1991–2020 normals.

## Related

- [How Prince George’s weather compares with the rest of BC](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/articles/prince-george-weather-compared-with-bc/)
- [Geography and rivers](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/geography-and-rivers/)
- [Summer and lakes](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/visit/summer-and-lakes/)

## Common questions

**How cold does it get in Prince George?**

A typical January night drops to about −12°C, but Arctic air outbreaks can push temperatures below −30°C for several days. The all-time record is −50.0°C, set at the airport on January 2, 1950.

**How much snow does Prince George get?**

About 204 cm in an average year at the airport, with December and January the snowiest months. Snow usually stays on the ground from November to late March or early April.

**What is the best time of year to visit Prince George?**

June to early September for warm, long days and lake season; mid-September for fall colours; and January to early March for skiing, snowshoeing and winter festivals, when the snowpack is reliable.

**Is Prince George sunny?**

The airport averages about 1,900 hours of bright sunshine a year, about the same as Vancouver. Summers are sunny, while November to January are the cloudiest months.

**Where can I see current weather in Prince George?**

PG Pulse’s weather dashboard shows current conditions and forecasts, and the climate dashboard compares today with long-term normals.

## Sources

- [Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020, Prince George Airport (Environment and Climate Change Canada)](https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=BC&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMin=0&txtCentralLongSec=0&stnID=346000000&dispBack=0)
- [Prince George weather box (Wikipedia template summarizing ECCC data)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Prince_George_weatherbox)
- [Prince George, British Columbia: Climate (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_George,_British_Columbia#Climate)

## Official links

- [Environment and Climate Change Canada: Prince George forecast](https://weather.gc.ca/en/location/index.html?coords=53.917,-122.750)
- [Canadian Climate Normals (ECCC)](https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/index_e.html)
- [BC air quality (Government of BC)](https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/air-land-water/air/air-quality)

## On this page

- [The climate type](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/climate/#the-climate-type)
- [Month by month](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/climate/#month-by-month)
- [Records and extremes](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/climate/#records-and-extremes)
- [Season by season](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/climate/#season-by-season)
- [Air quality and inversions](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/climate/#air-quality-and-inversions)
- [A changing climate](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/climate/#a-changing-climate)
- [Related](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/climate/#related)

## Data

Machine-readable data behind this page, from the free PG Pulse API (https://princegeorgepulse.ca/developers/).

### Guide facts, FAQ and sources

Source: [PG Pulse guides (plain-language guides with links to official sources)](https://princegeorgepulse.ca/). Licence: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Updated 2026-09-30T00:00:00.000Z.
JSON: https://princegeorgepulse.ca/api/v1/guides/explore/climate?fields=summary,faq,officialLinks,sources,updated

- **summary**: Humid continental climate: cold, snowy winters and warm, fairly short summers., Airport normals (1991–2020): January mean −7.8°C, July mean 15.9°C, July average high 22.6°C., About 590 mm of precipitation a year, including roughly 204 cm of snow., Coldest on record: −50.0°C at the airport on January 2, 1950., Official record high: 38.9°C on July 17, 1941. The Prince George Massey station reached 40.1°C in the June 2021 heat dome.
- **updated**: 2026-09-30T00:00:00.000Z

#### faq

| q | a |
| --- | --- |
| How cold does it get in Prince George? | A typical January night drops to about −12°C, but Arctic air outbreaks can push temperatures below −30°C for several days. The all-time record is −50.0°C, set … |
| How much snow does Prince George get? | About 204 cm in an average year at the airport, with December and January the snowiest months. Snow usually stays on the ground from November to late March or … |
| What is the best time of year to visit Prince George? | June to early September for warm, long days and lake season; mid-September for fall colours; and January to early March for skiing, snowshoeing and winter fest… |
| Is Prince George sunny? | The airport averages about 1,900 hours of bright sunshine a year, about the same as Vancouver. Summers are sunny, while November to January are the cloudiest m… |
| Where can I see current weather in Prince George? | PG Pulse’s weather dashboard shows current conditions and forecasts, and the climate dashboard compares today with long-term normals. |


#### officialLinks

| label | url |
| --- | --- |
| Environment and Climate Change Canada: Prince George forecast | https://weather.gc.ca/en/location/index.html?coords=53.917,-122.750 |
| Canadian Climate Normals (ECCC) | https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/index_e.html |
| BC air quality (Government of BC) | https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/air-land-water/air/air-quality |


#### sources

| title | url |
| --- | --- |
| Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020, Prince George Airport (Environment and Climate Change Canada) | https://climate.weather.gc.ca/climate_normals/results_1991_2020_e.html?searchType=stnProv&lstProvince=BC&txtCentralLatMin=0&txtCentralLatSec=0&txtCentralLongMi… |
| Prince George weather box (Wikipedia template summarizing ECCC data) | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Prince_George_weatherbox |
| Prince George, British Columbia: Climate (Wikipedia) | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_George,_British_Columbia#Climate |

---

Markdown version of https://princegeorgepulse.ca/explore/climate/. Guide for AI agents: https://princegeorgepulse.ca/llms.txt. Free API: https://princegeorgepulse.ca/developers/