CLIMATE

The Alberni Valley enjoys a moderate climate and is well known for its breathtaking scenery. Somewhat of an enigma, the City of Port Alberni is part coastal town and part mountain valley community. When viewing a map of Vancouver Island one will notice that Port Alberni is central, and much closer to Vancouver Island's east coast then it is to the west coast. Yet the Alberni Valley has a climate more in keeping with the west coast. This is because if its unique geography and the 40 kilometre long Alberni Inlet which connects the city to the Pacific Ocean via the truly awe-inspiring Barkley Sound.

The Alberni Valley's moderate climate affords the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors year-round. The entire valley experiences sunny and mild summers with temperatures between 9 and 23 degrees Celsius, and winters with little or no snow and temperatures between 0 to 7 degrees Celcius. The beauty is that while the low lying City of Port Alberni receives little winter snow, the snow capped mountains are never more than a short drive away. The mean monthly rainfall in the Alberni Valley is 157 mm and the total annual snowfall 121 cm.

In comparison, the Village of Bamfield does not suffer from any identity confusion in terms of its climate. Bamfield, located in beautiful Barkley Sound is the quintessential west coast village. The area experiences beautiful mild summers with temperatures between 9 and 18 degrees Celsius and winters with little or no snow and temperatures between 2 to 8 degrees Celcius. The mean monthly rainfall in Bamfield is 275 mm and the total annual snowfall 53 cm.