Precipitation in Canada decreased to 524.57 mm in 2023 from 538.41 mm in 2022. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for Canada Average Precipitation.

This statistic shows the average total precipitation for Canada from 1971 to 2000, by city. Victoria, Canada averaged 883.3 millimeters of precipitation annually from 1971 to 2000.

30-year Average precipitation represents the average amount (mm) of precipitation received in a month across a 30 year period (1961-1991, 1971-2000, 1981-2010, 1991-2020). These values are calculated across Canada in 10x10 km cells.

Percent of Average Precipitation represents the accumulation of precipitation for a location, divided by the long term average value. The long term average value is defined as the average amount over the 1981 – 2010 period. Products are produced for the following timeframes: Agricultural Year, Growing Season, Winter Season, as well as rolling products for 30, 60, 90, 180, 270, 365, 730, 1095, 1460 and 1825 days.

Departures of temperature and precipitation from 1961 to 1990 normal, by Canada and climatic regions.

Contained within the 4th Edition (1974) of the Atlas of Canada is a collection of six maps. Each map shows the average monthly precipitation for April, May, June, July, August and September.

This feature service includes data on common variables of climate for Canada. Layers in this map service include daylight hours in December and June (solstice months), annual min, max, and mean temperatures, total rainfall and total snowfall. Data for all layers represent mean values from 1951 to 1980.Map Service published and hosted by Esri Canada, © 2020.Content Source(s):'Land Potential DataBase', Version 1.0, National Soil DataBase, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 1997.'Climate5180', Version 1.0, National Soil DataBase, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 1997.Coordinate System: Web Mercator Auxiliary Sphere (WKID 102100)

Contained within the 3rd Edition (1957) of the Atlas of Canada is a plate that shows two maps for the annual total precipitation. Annual precipitation is defined as the sum of rainfall and the assumed water equivalent of snowfall for a given year. A specific gravity of 0.1 for freshly fallen snow is used, which means that ten inches (25.4 cm) of freshly fallen snow is assumed to be equal to one inch (2.54 cm) of rain. The mean annual total precipitation and snowfall maps on this plate are primarily based on thirty-year data during the period 1921 to 1950 inclusive.

Canada: Precipitation, mm per year: The latest value from 2021 is 537 mm per year, unchanged from 537 mm per year in 2020. In comparison, the world average is 1168 mm per year, based on data from 178 countries. Historically, the average for Canada from 1961 to 2021 is 537 mm per year. The minimum value, 537 mm per year, was reached in 1961 while the maximum of 537 mm per year was recorded in 1961.

Departure from Average Precipitation represents the accumulated precipitation value for a location, subtracted by the long term average value. The long term average value is defined as the average amount over the 1981 – 2010 period. A negative value indicates that the location has received less than the normal amount of precipitation (mm) for that timeframe. A positive value indicates that the location has received more than the normal amount of precipitation (mm). Products are produced for the following timeframes: Agricultural Year, Growing Season, Winter Season as well as rolling products for 30, 60, 90, 180, 270, 365, 730, 1095, 1460 and 1825 days.

Annual average precipitation represents the average total precipitation seen across Canada each year. Data comes from Copernicus Climate Change Service information and is sourced from Our World in Data.

The Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) program provides data and information to track Canada's performance on key environmental sustainability issues. The Precipitation change in Canada indicator measures the annual and seasonal precipitation departures (or anomalies) for the years 1948 to 2014. For this indicator, the annual departure is the percentage difference of the value of a given year against a reference value as denominator. The reference values used in this indicator are the annual and seasonal precipitation averages for the period of 1961 to 1990 (often referred to as the 1961–1990 normal). The indicator helps show how Canada's precipitation has changed since nationwide recording of consistent and comparable climate observations began in 1948. Information is provided to Canadians in a number of formats including: static and interactive maps, charts and graphs, HTML and CSV data tables and downloadable reports. See the supplementary documentation for data sources and details on how those data were collected and how the indicator was calculated. Supplemental Information Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators - Home page: https://www.canada.ca/environmental-indicators

Contained within the 4th Edition (1974) of the Atlas of Canada is a set of two maps. One map shows the average precipitation for April to September. The second shows the average precipitation for October to March.

Canada CA: Average Precipitation in Depth data was reported at 537.000 mm/Year in 2020. This stayed constant from the previous number of 537.000 mm/Year for 2019. Canada CA: Average Precipitation in Depth data is updated yearly, averaging 537.000 mm/Year from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2020, with 60 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 537.000 mm/Year in 2020 and a record low of 537.000 mm/Year in 2020. Canada CA: Average Precipitation in Depth data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Canada – Table CA.World Bank.WDI: Environmental: Land Use, Protected Areas and National Wealth. Average precipitation is the long-term average in depth (over space and time) of annual precipitation in the country. Precipitation is defined as any kind of water that falls from clouds as a liquid or a solid.;Food and Agriculture Organization, electronic files and web site.;;

Contained within the 3rd Edition (1957) of the Atlas of Canada is a plate that shows two maps for the annual total precipitation. Annual precipitation is defined as the sum of rainfall and the assumed water equivalent of snowfall for a given year. A specific gravity of 0.1 for freshly fallen snow is used, which means that ten inches (25.4 cm) of freshly fallen snow is assumed to be equal to one inch (2.54 cm) of rain. The mean annual total precipitation and snowfall maps on this plate are primarily based on thirty-year data during the period 1921 to 1950 inclusive.

The map shows the mean total precipitation in the month of July. Throughout much of the continental interior of Canada, precipitation reaches its annual maximum in the summer months and falls as rain. On the Prairies, the maximum monthly precipitation is usually in June or July, but this shifts to August at more northerly latitudes and in Ontario and Quebec. On both the west and east coasts, summer is the driest time of the year, particularly on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast of southwestern British Columbia. In the Arctic Archipelago, rainfall tends to be dominant, but snowfall is still significant and can occur in any summer month.

The map shows the annual mean total precipitation. Over much of the continental interior of Canada, precipitation reaches its annual maximum in the summer months and falls as rain. October marks the transition from mainly rain to snowfall across northern Canada.

Percent of Average Precipitation represents the accumulation of precipitation for a location, divided by the long term average value. The long term average value is defined as the average amount over the 1981 – 2010 period. Products are produced for the following timeframes: Agricultural Year, Growing Season, Winter Season, as well as rolling products for 30, 60, 90, 180, 270, 365, 730, 1095, 1460 and 1825 days.

The map shows the mean total precipitation in the month of January. January precipitation across Canada is mainly in the form of snow. Throughout much of the interior and the north, precipitation amounts are generally less than 20 mm and, in the high Arctic, as little as a few millimetres. The west coast receives heavy precipitation in the form of rain at low elevations and mainly snow at higher elevations. For coastal British Columbia, this is the rainy season. On Canada’s east coast, where cold continental air masses clash with the warmer air masses from the Atlantic, there is a mixture of rain and snow, with rain dominating close to the Atlantic and snow becoming more prevalent to the northwest, in southern Quebec and Labrador. The snow belt east of Lake Superior and Lake Huron is clearly visible, especially around Georgian Bay.

The map shows the mean total precipitation in the month of April. April is a transitional month across much of southern Canada, when snow is still possible but rainfall begins to dominate the precipitation regime. Precipitation amounts across the southern interior of Canada are somewhat greater than those in January, as air temperatures warm in response to the increasing strength and duration of sunshine. Rainfall amounts onshore along British Columbia’s west coast are still in the range of 200 to 300 millimetres, somewhat less than the values in January. Likewise, in the Atlantic Provinces, precipitation amounts are less than in January, but the distribution of monthly precipitation is not as variable annually as on the Prairies or the west coast. Across northern Canada, it is still very much winter, with almost all precipitation falling as snow.