Heat stress in Vancouver
Pacific Northwest mildness north of the Columbia, increasingly interrupted by heat domes that push summer risk well past the historical norm.
Heat stress is low right now: normal outdoor activity is fine.
Wet-bulb globe temperature via the Liljegren (2008) method. This page is cached and refreshes in the background, so the live badge below can be a few minutes ahead of it.
View Vancouver on the live mapReading heat stress in Vancouver
Wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) is the heat measure that actually tracks danger to the body. Unlike the plain air temperature on your phone, it folds in humidity, wind, and direct sun: the factors that decide whether your sweat can still cool you. It’s the standard the military, athletic associations, and occupational-safety bodies use to call when outdoor activity is no longer safe.
That matters in Vancouver because pacific Northwest mildness north of the Columbia, increasingly interrupted by heat domes that push summer risk well past the historical norm. The number above is the live outdoor WBGT for the city right now; tap through to the live map to inspect any neighborhood, scrub the forecast hour by hour, and see the 7-day outlook.
How hot Vancouver usually gets
Across 2015–2024, Vancouver averaged a 81°F daily high in summer: 141st hottest of the 174 metros we track, and August is typically the warmest month.
Most of the heat here sits below the extremes: around 17 days a year top 90°F, and only about 2 reach 100°F.
At about 62% summer humidity, the air is damp enough to blunt how well sweat cools you on the worst afternoons.
The ceiling is a long way above the routine: the hottest day in this sample hit 113°F, about 32°F past a normal summer afternoon.
Daily high temperatures and humidity from ERA5 reanalysis, 2015–2024 (hottest day in the sample: 2021-06-28). These are climate averages for context: the reading at the top of this page is the live one.
For school sports, WIAA (Washington Interscholastic Activities Association) publishes WIAA Health & Wellness: Heat Index Policy. That document sets no WBGT limits, so no Washington activity zones appear beside the live reading. The heat-stress guidance on this page applies to anyone outdoors. Our Washington heat policy page has the details, the source and the date we last checked it.
Heat in Vancouver: common questions
How hot does it usually get in Vancouver?
Across 2015–2024, Vancouver averaged a 81°F daily high through summer, with about 17 days a year at or above 90°F and 2 at or above 100°F. August is typically the hottest month, and the hottest day in that sample reached 113°F. Figures are from ERA5 daily reanalysis.
When is the hottest time of year in Vancouver?
August has the highest average daily high in Vancouver. Summer humidity averages about 62%, enough to blunt how well sweat cools you on the hottest afternoons. Use the forecast on this page to plan around the specific days that matter.
Does Washington have a heat policy for school sports?
WIAA (Washington Interscholastic Activities Association) publishes WIAA Health & Wellness: Heat Index Policy. That document sets no WBGT limits, so no Washington activity zones appear beside the live reading. The heat-stress guidance on this page applies to anyone outdoors. Our WBGT is a modeled estimate rather than an on-site measurement, so check the association's own document for current requirements.
What is the WBGT in Vancouver right now?
The reading at the top of this page is the current wet-bulb globe temperature for Vancouver, Washington, computed from live weather by the Liljegren (2008) method and labeled with how recently it updated. For an exact reading at your own neighborhood, plus an hour-by-hour forecast, open the live map.
Why is WBGT more useful than the temperature for Vancouver?
Air temperature ignores humidity, wind, and sun: the things that decide whether heat is dangerous. Vancouver's climate (pacific Northwest mildness north of the Columbia, increasingly interrupted by heat domes that push summer risk well past the historical norm.) is exactly why a single "feels-like" or thermometer reading can understate the real risk. WBGT captures all of it in one number.
When is heat most dangerous in Vancouver?
August is the peak month in Vancouver, and within a day heat stress is highest in the early-to-mid afternoon when sun load is greatest. Dangerous days are uncommon here, which is its own hazard: 17 days a year reach 90°F, and people are least acclimatized when they arrive. Use the forecast on this page to find the window that works.
Put Vancouver’s live heat stress on your site
A self-updating WBGT badge for schools, teams, camps, and local sites: it always shows the current reading and links back here.
<iframe src="https://wetbulbtracker.com/embed/vancouver-wa" width="340" height="150" style="border:0" title="Live WBGT: Vancouver, WA" loading="lazy"></iframe>Paste it into any website. The badge updates itself and links back here. Add ?theme=light for light sites.