Because of the Kuroshio, or Japan Current, which warms the coast, and the adjoining mountain ranges, British Columbia experiences a variety of climates. Some climatologists have claimed that, in its temperature, humidity, and variability, the southwestern corner of the province, tempered by the current, has one of the most favourable climates for people, plants, and animals. The prevailing winds from the Pacific, flowing over succeeding mountain ranges, cause a wide variety of precipitation and temperature ranges across the province, but along the coast such variation is negligible. Summers are comfortably cool, while winters are not severe; temperatures seldom drop to 0 °F (−18 °C). In the Okanagan and Cariboo regions to the east, wider variations are recorded; summers are hot and winters are colder. Still farther east, up against the Rockies, similar temperature ranges prevail but with considerably heavier snowfalls. In the northern interior and Peace River country, severely cold winters and hot summers are normal.

British Columbia receives considerable precipitation, but its distribution is far from ideal. Some coastal towns have average annual rainfalls of 160 inches (4,100 mm) or more (among the wettest regions on the continent), while Merritt, only 125 miles (200 km) from the coast, registers only 12.5 inches (320 mm). Victoria, sheltered by the Vancouver Island mountains, receives less than 35 inches (885 mm), but Vancouver, 72 miles (116 km) across the Strait of Georgia, receives 47 inches (1,200 mm), delivered by the winds crossing that body of water.

Plant and animal life

The mild, wet climate of the coastal region produces large trees, some of the old-growth specimens exceeding 200 feet (60 metres) in height. Western hemlock, red cedar, balsam fir, and Sitka spruce predominate, but the Douglas fir, which makes excellent sawn lumber, also grows in slightly drier coastal locations. The trees in the forests of the interior are smaller. They include Douglas fir and lodgepole and ponderosa pine in the south, balsam fir, spruce, and lodgepole pine in the central region, and white spruce in the far north. One-third of the province consists of barren Alpine tundra, snowfields, and glaciers.

Black bears, moose, and mule deer are the province’s most widely distributed large wild mammals. Black bears, in particular, have thrived in areas where forests have been restored following the cutting of old-growth timber. The much smaller grizzly bear population has also been increasing since the 1980s. Beavers, porcupines, mink, marmots, red squirrels, and wolverines can be found throughout the province. Skunks and raccoon are in the south. Bighorn sheep inhabit most mountain ranges in the province, though, along with elk, they are most abundant on the western slopes of the Rockies and in the Kootenay region. Caribou, whose numbers have been falling since the start of European settlement, are found in the north. Coyotes have lived in the province for some time, occupying the niche once largely held by wolves; small numbers of wolves still range throughout the province. British Columbia’s small puma (cougar) population is still the largest in any North American jurisdiction. Lynx are found throughout the interior.

The coastal waters of British Columbia are home to dolphins, humpback whales, and several species of seals and sea lions, most in healthy numbers. Trout, salmon, and halibut are the province’s principal game fish. There is a great diversity of waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, and game birds. Early European settlers found the province deficient in songbirds and introduced skylarks, sparrows, and starlings; today, songbirds, native as well as introduced, abound in urban and settled areas. Endangered animal species include the killer whale (orca), harbour seal, mountain beaver (Aplodontia rufa), and northern spotted owl.