Ok so everyone convinced me of how much worse the rain is in Vancouver than over here (despite the appauling summer we had in the UK, and the flooding everywhere).

So I have some questions:
1) what do you do when it rains for 80 days solid
2) how can it be such an outdoors orientated place if it is always raining so much?
3) Doesn't it flood all the time like over here in the UK?

4) should I really bring my flippers!!!!

We only go on about the rain to scare away potential immigrants.

a) The Fall is very wet, but it doesn't rain ALL the time. If it does you buy decent rainware, a good umbrella, and get on with it. The mutt doesn't care if it is raining or not. She wants walkies, so out we go.

b) Because it is relatively warm, so even when it is raining it is still usually pleasant to be outdoors.

c) The mountains are steep and the rain runs off into the sea. We get the biggest flood problems in May and June. Not that it is raining much in Vancouver then, but it is when the snow melts up in the mountains.

You just get used to it. In fact, coping with the rain becomes something of a badge of honour, just like phoning people in Ontario in the middle of March to discuss gardening and tee shirt designs.

We've had lousy weather this year and the fall rain has already started a couple of week ahead of schedule. Even so the memory of some glorious summer days past, and to look forward to, are enough to get me through the worst of the rain storms.

Also, I live just about as far away from the mountains as I can possibly get. Which helps.

When they report that Vancouver gets 80 solid days of rain, it doesn't mean that the rain has never stopped for 80 days. If as little as one raindrop falls from the sky, then that is counted as one day of rain. So during those 80 days, it might only be a downpour for maybe a handful of days. The rain in Vancouver is generally an off-and-on drizzle. It may rain for 10 minutes here and there sporadically through the winter, but to have days on end of solid downpour is rare, and does indeed cause flooding!

Reading this just reminded me how when I moved to Montreal from Belfast everyone I met kept telling me how cold the winters in Montreal are. After weeks of hearing over and over and over again how cold it would be and how much snow there would be I finally snapped at a woman and told "okay I get it it gets bloody cold I'm sure I'll survive!!"

I thought we talked about the weather a lot back home but good god Canadians are way worse. You just have to watch the local news there could be a child murdered or a rape or a shooting but these stories take second place if there's even a rumour of a storm or it's a really hot day or the first snowfall of the season!! Actually having said that maybe sometimes it's better to just talk about the weather.

Gortex and a decent umbrella.

I think it's a Norwegien proverb that says "There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing".

When we arrived in February it just seemed to me to rain all the time until May but I'd look out the window and people were just carring on as normal, jogging, cycling, out walking the dog, power walking you name it. After a while you just get used to it, you cant stay in all the time after all and now it doesn't stop me going out whereas in England it probably would have - definitely helps to have a decent waterproof coat though.

Well, it is certainly not like Hull (the one in England that is) where I read that 1 in 5 houses had flood damage this year

The last big floods were in the 1950s and caused by the melting snowpack. However, when you move here and buy here, do ask where your house sits on the water table etc. There has been a lot of developments on the flood plan (there is even a development in Squamish built on reclaimed marsh - and they've called the development Aqua - I did laff when I read that one!! )

Whilst Jon has stayed as far from the mountains as possible (and he has a point - hopefully I've been able to attach a pix of the rainfall) the thing about being on the slopes is we do not have the same worry about flooding (landslides though, that is another issue...

It is just rain, we don't melt!!

Clare

So where is it most likely to flood?

Hi there!

First of all, hope you have a good meet up in a few weeks time!

I too am looking at Vancouver as a place to move to - toss up btw V and Calgary so interested listening to the rain issues.

I've always been out doorsy - Have a horse so ride in the rain and just get on with it but I can't say I enjoy being wet! I guess being there to see how people do get on with it is the main thing. the thought of being able to ski each w/end in snow is quite appealing with Vancouver and the fact it has a beach!!!

I'll be there in January - will pack flippers!

Bx

In a way I suppose it is a good thing that we are going at the wettest time (12 days and counting til reccie trip), as if we can survive and are not put off by the downpours, it can only improve on that!!!

I'll be really interested to hear back what you think of the place, the weather, people, housing, job market, atmosphere and places to go out. I've been told it can be a bit like living in China town?

Let me know what you packed to wear, as I'll need flippers for Vancouver and a pair of ski's for Calgary LOL!!!!

Bandit!

Well by the sound of it the only things we'll need to pack are scuba diving kits!!!

It sounds much like Wales to me.

Honestly you wont even remember the winter when you're enjoying the summer. That particular winter rain was followed by a superb summer. You do get used to it. The difference between their weather in Van and England is they can get 2 week periods. In winter than can mean 2 weeks of solid rain but the upside is two weeks of solid sun. Late July and the beginning of August are usually in the mid to high 20's with wall to wall sun. When it is raining its usually snowing on the mountains so its a nice way to escape.

Michael Fish, news at ten, in a wetsuit.

Do they say what they say about the cold in Canada - it's a dry rain, that's completely tolerable?