Richmond weather
Richmond weather and your roof: rain, storm surge and sea air
Richmond gets about 30% less rain than neighbouring Vancouver, yet the Richmond Nature Park station still averages 1,262.4 mm of precipitation on 183.8 days a year (1981–2010 normals). The City of Richmond says rainfall intensity has risen about 15% over 20 years and that storms are becoming more frequent and intense, so drainage, wind and salt air shape the roof here.
Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, Director of Marketing, The Interlock Group · Updated October 24, 2026
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Precipitation, Richmond Nature Park
1,262.4 mm a year on 183.8 days; 1,227.8 mm as rain (1981–2010)
Wikipedia, Richmond, British Columbia (ECCC normals)
Snowfall, Richmond Nature Park
34.6 cm a year on 7.1 days (1981–2010)
Wikipedia, Richmond, British Columbia (ECCC normals)
Record temperatures
High 37.0 °C; low −16.5 °C
Wikipedia, Richmond, British Columbia (ECCC normals)
Rainfall intensity
Up about 15% over the past 20 years
City of Richmond, Climate Change and Flooding (May 2022)
Sea level rise to plan for
1 metre by 2100, as advised by the Province
City of Richmond, Climate Change and Flooding (May 2022)
Richmond's climate, from the Nature Park station
Richmond has its own long-term station at Richmond Nature Park. Its Environment and Climate Change Canada normals for 1981–2010 show 1,262.4 mm of precipitation a year, 1,227.8 mm of it as rain, on 183.8 days. Rain fell on 180.4 of those days.
Richmond is described as getting about 30% less rain than Vancouver, and snow is rare. But the cooler months are very cloudy, and a roof under thick cloud dries slowly between showers. That slow drying is what feeds moss on asphalt and rot in cedar.
Heavier downpours and the November 2021 storms
The City of Richmond's May 2022 fact sheet, Climate Change and Flooding, says the average intensity of rainfall events in Richmond has increased by approximately 15 per cent over the past 20 years. It points to the atmospheric river events of November 2021 as an example of extreme rainfall that can cause flooding.
During those storms, Richmond saw localized flooding on Highway 99 near Westminster Highway and on Blundell Road, sinkholes, and a destabilized dyke. A roof can't prevent street flooding, but it decides where its own water goes: gutters and downpipes sized for a hard rain, kept clear, and carried well away from the foundation. Because of the high water table, very few Richmond houses have basements.
Storm surge, king tides and wind on an island city
The City's fact sheet lists coastal storm surges, "high tides mixed with high water levels caused by wind and waves", and king tides, the highest tides of the year, among Richmond's flood risks. It also says the frequency and intensity of storms are increasing.
The wind that piles water against the dikes also pushes on roofs. Interlock® roofs are warranted for wind to 193 km/h (120 mph), installed to manufacturer specification. Panels interlock on all four sides with the fasteners hidden, so wind-driven rain has no exposed screw heads or open laps to get under.
Sea air from the Strait of Georgia
Richmond occupies almost all of Lulu Island, plus Sea Island and smaller islands, with the Strait of Georgia on its west side and the two arms of the Fraser River on the others. Steveston, the former fishing village at the island's southwestern tip, still has a working harbour.
No part of island Richmond is far from the water. With no iron in the metal, an aluminum roof has nothing in it to rust; a thin oxide film forms on the surface and shields it, from Steveston to East Richmond.
Snow, cold and heat in Richmond
Snow is light most years: the Nature Park station averages 34.6 cm on 7.1 snowy days (1981–2010). Its record low is −16.5 °C and its record high 37.0 °C, with January afternoons averaging 7.0 °C and July afternoons 23.9 °C.
Snow that does settle on a metal roof tends to let go all at once, which is why our estimate shows where snow guards go above doors, steps and driveways. Our warranty does not cover ice damming, so attic venting is worth a look on older Richmond houses too.
How we specify an Interlock® roof for Richmond
For damp winters, harder rain, storm wind and sea air:
- Aluminum cannot rust in salt air
- Concealed fasteners, warranted for wind to 193 km/h (120 mph), installed to manufacturer specification
- Gutters and downpipes reviewed for heavier rainfall
- Snow guards planned at the estimate
- Class A Fire Rated Available, as a complete assembly
Richmond questions, answered
Richmond is drier than Vancouver. Does that change which roof I need?
Not much. Drier is relative: the Nature Park station still logs precipitation on about half the days of the year, under heavy winter cloud. What Richmond adds is storm wind off the water and sea air, which is where aluminum's resistance to rust and an interlocking, concealed-fastener roof earn their keep.
Does the salt air in Steveston affect an aluminum roof?
No. Steveston's harbour air carries salt, but an aluminum roof has no iron for it to attack. The metal's surface makes its own thin, protective oxide film, so the roof needs no coating or repainting to keep rust away, near the water or inland.
What should I check on my Richmond roof after an atmospheric river?
From the ground, look for overflowing or sagging gutters, downpipes that have come loose, and water marks on fascia boards. Inside, check the attic and ceilings below valleys and chimneys. Existing Interlock® customers can reach our service team at bcservice@interlockroofing.com.
Sources for this Richmond guide
- City of Richmond — Climate Change and Flooding fact sheet (May 2022)
- Wikipedia — Richmond, British Columbia (Richmond Nature Park climate normals 1981–2010; geography; housing)
- Wikipedia — 2021 Pacific Northwest floods
Product specifications are the manufacturer's (Interlock Roofing). Install counts are from our own job book. Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, October 24, 2026.
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