Rainfall on Gabriola

Gabriola, like other Gulf Islands, is said to have a "Mediterrranean" climate. This means moderate temperatures, dry summers, and wet winters. (75% of rain falls between October and March.)

Averages can be deceiving...rainfall is highly variable. For example, while the average November rainfall is 125 mm (5 inches), one year in ten it may be as high as 250 mm (10 inches) or as low as 20 mm (less than one inch). The average for July and August is 25 mm (1 inch) each, but one year out of every ten, there is less than 25 mm (1 inch) of rain in both months put together.

The following graph shows the range of rainfall for each month. For nine years out of ten, rainfall is within the red line. (The crossbar marks the month's average.)

Despite rumours about Artesian springs originating from the Olympic peninsula, all of Gabriola's groundwater comes from local rainfall which collects in cracks in the sandstone. When the cracks are full in the winter, the rain runs off into the ocean. When we've pumped out the cracks in the summer, there's no more water.

Thanks to Eric Boulton, who keeps track of the weather for us, and kindly provided these data.

Created July 15, 1998      Last updated January 22, 2000.