Best time to visit Calgary
The best time to visit Calgary is July–September, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -1.6 °C / 29 °F | -11 °C / 12 °F | 11 mm / 0.4 in | neither best nor good |
| February | -2.2 °C / 28 °F | -12.6 °C / 9 °F | 15 mm / 0.6 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 3.6 °C / 38 °F | -7.4 °C / 19 °F | 21 mm / 0.8 in | neither best nor good |
| April | 10.1 °C / 50 °F | -2.2 °C / 28 °F | 38 mm / 1.5 in | neither best nor good |
| May | 16.7 °C / 62 °F | 3.5 °C / 38 °F | 66 mm / 2.6 in | good month |
| June | 19.9 °C / 68 °F | 7.7 °C / 46 °F | 99 mm / 3.9 in | good month |
| July | 23.6 °C / 74 °F | 10.1 °C / 50 °F | 62 mm / 2.4 in | best month |
| August | 23.2 °C / 74 °F | 9 °C / 48 °F | 56 mm / 2.2 in | best month |
| September | 18.8 °C / 66 °F | 5.2 °C / 41 °F | 37 mm / 1.4 in | best month |
| October | 11 °C / 52 °F | -0.8 °C / 31 °F | 24 mm / 1 in | neither best nor good |
| November | 2.6 °C / 37 °F | -7 °C / 19 °F | 22 mm / 0.9 in | neither best nor good |
| December | -3.1 °C / 26 °F | -12.3 °C / 10 °F | 18 mm / 0.7 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: neither
- AApril: neither
- MMay: good
- JJune: good
- JJuly: best
- AAugust: best
- SSeptember: best
- OOctober: neither
- NNovember: neither
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- July–September
- Good
- May–June
Clear, mild summers make July-September the best window for exploring outdoors, with July's Calgary Stampede lifting an already sunny month; May-June are good but rainier and skewed toward afternoon showers. Cold, dark winters from November through April are unsuitable.
Why these months
May · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 77%, feels like (high) 13.8 °C / 57 °F, average daily high 16.7 °C / 62 °F, days with heavy rain 1.6 days, relative humidity 57%.
Against: wet days 10.9 days, precipitation 66 mm / 2.6 in, share of rain falling in the daytime 46%, average daily low 3.5 °C / 38 °F.
Also on: FunnyFest Calgary Comedy Festival.
June · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.4 °C / 65 °F, average daily high 19.9 °C / 68 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 78%, relative humidity 65%, average daily low 7.7 °C / 46 °F.
Against: wet days 13 days, precipitation 99 mm / 3.9 in, days with heavy rain 3 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 43%.
Also on: Carifest, FunnyFest Calgary Comedy Festival, Lilac Festival, Sled Island Festival.
July · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 23.2 °C / 74 °F, average daily high 23.6 °C / 74 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 85%, precipitation 62 mm / 2.4 in, days with heavy rain 1.2 days, average daily low 10.1 °C / 50 °F, relative humidity 68%.
Against: wet days 11.4 days, share of rain falling in the daytime 43%.
Also on: Calgary Stampede, Calgary Folk Music Festival, Calgary International Bluesfest, Historic Calgary Week, Shakespeare by the Bow.
August · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 22 °C / 72 °F, average daily high 23.2 °C / 74 °F, precipitation 56 mm / 2.2 in, share of daylight that is sunny 83%, relative humidity 66%, average daily low 9 °C / 48 °F.
Against: wet days 9.1 days, days with heavy rain 1.6 days.
Also on: Calgary Fringe Festival, Calgary International Bluesfest, Dragon Boat Race and Festival, GlobalFest, Historic Calgary Week, Shakespeare by the Bow, Taste of Calgary.
September · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 16.1 °C / 61 °F, average daily high 18.8 °C / 66 °F, precipitation 37 mm / 1.4 in, share of daylight that is sunny 81%, days with heavy rain 0.8 days, wet days 7 days, relative humidity 64%, average daily low 5.2 °C / 41 °F.
Also on: Beakerhead.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Nakiska, 77 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | -6.3 °C | -6.8 °C | -0.8 °C | 6.2 °C | 13.8 °C | 18.4 °C | 23.2 °C | 22 °C | 16.1 °C | 7.1 °C | -1.8 °C | -7.7 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 0 days | 0.1 days | 0.2 days | 0.7 days | 1.6 days | 3 days | 1.2 days | 1.6 days | 0.8 days | 0.3 days | 0.6 days | 0.1 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 7 am | 2 am | 9 am | 5 pm | 6 pm | 6 pm | 5 pm | 6 pm | 2 pm | 7 am | 11 am | 10 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 6.3 h | 7.9 h | 9.3 h | 10.9 h | 12 h | 12.8 h | 13.6 h | 12.1 h | 10.1 h | 8.2 h | 6.3 h | 5.5 h |
| Relative humidity | 68% | 67% | 65% | 58% | 57% | 65% | 68% | 66% | 64% | 65% | 68% | 70% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 6.7 µg/m³ | 7.5 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ | 9.7 µg/m³ | 12.8 µg/m³ | 12.9 µg/m³ | 15.7 µg/m³ | 11.9 µg/m³ | 11.7 µg/m³ | 6.1 µg/m³ | 7.5 µg/m³ | 8.5 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 14.5 µg/m³ | 14.3 µg/m³ | 16.7 µg/m³ | 16.8 µg/m³ | 20.7 µg/m³ | 19.9 µg/m³ | 24.1 µg/m³ | 18.7 µg/m³ | 19.2 µg/m³ | 11 µg/m³ | 14.6 µg/m³ | 16.1 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
Events and seasons
What the weather records cannot show. A major event can lift a month to good or best. The warnings are there to help you plan, and never count against a month.
Reasons to go
- Calgary Stampede Major
July
- High Performance Rodeo
January
- Calgary International Salsa Congress
March
- Calgary Spoken Word Festival
April
- Calgary Expo
April
- FunnyFest Calgary Comedy Festival
May and June
- Lilac Festival
June
- Sled Island Festival
June
- Carifest
June
- Calgary Folk Music Festival
July
- Shakespeare by the Bow
July and August
- Historic Calgary Week
July and August
- Calgary International Bluesfest
July and August
- Calgary Fringe Festival
August
- GlobalFest
August
- Taste of Calgary
August
- Dragon Boat Race and Festival
August
- Beakerhead
September
- WordFest
October
- Marda Loop Justice Film Festival
November
Worth knowing before you go
- Heritage Park's winter closures
January, February, March, November and December