Kerrisdale weather

Kerrisdale weather and your roof: rain, wind and a leafy canopy

Kerrisdale has no weather station of its own; it lies between Vancouver International Airport, which averages 1,159.5 mm of precipitation a year, and Vancouver Harbour, which averages 1,537.4 mm (1991–2020 normals). The City's 2022 canopy assessment puts Kerrisdale's tree cover at 33%, against 25% citywide, so its storms bring leaves and branches onto roofs as well as rain.

Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, Director of Marketing, The Interlock Group · Updated October 24, 2026

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Precipitation, Vancouver Intl Airport

1,159.5 mm a year on 169.5 days (1991–2020)

Wikipedia, Climate of Vancouver (ECCC normals)

Precipitation, Vancouver Harbour CS

1,537.4 mm a year on 179.1 days (1991–2020)

Wikipedia, Climate of Vancouver (ECCC normals)

Kerrisdale tree canopy

33% in 2022, up from 29% in 2018 (citywide 25%)

2022 Vancouver Tree Canopy Assessment

2006 Hanukkah Eve windstorm

Winds of 70 to 125 km/h across Greater Vancouver

Wikipedia, Climate of Vancouver

Reading Kerrisdale's rain from two stations

The two long-running Environment and Climate Change Canada stations nearest Kerrisdale tell slightly different stories. Vancouver International Airport, across the North Arm of the Fraser River, averages 1,159.5 mm of precipitation on 169.5 days a year. Vancouver Harbour, downtown, averages 1,537.4 mm on 179.1 days (both 1991–2020 normals).

Kerrisdale sits between them, on ground the City describes as sloping down toward the Fraser River. Either way, a roof here is wet on close to half the days of the year, and that long wet season is what wears out cedar and asphalt.

Atmospheric rivers over Kerrisdale

CBC News noted that atmospheric rivers are not new to the west coast, even if the term only came into wide use after the 2021 B.C. floods. Before the storm of October 2024, CBC News reported Environment Canada warning that most affected areas, Metro Vancouver among them, could see up to 70 mm of rain, with gusts of 80 km/h close to the water and power outages from fallen trees.

Heavy, steady rain like that finds the weak points: worn laps, lifted shingles, tired flashing around chimneys, and gutters already half full of leaves. The Climate of Vancouver article records the wettest stretch on file, 25.5 cm of rain in the first 16 days of November 2006.

A 33% canopy over Kerrisdale roofs

The City's 2022 Vancouver Tree Canopy Assessment measured Kerrisdale's tree cover at 33%, up from 29% in 2018, while the city as a whole reached 25%. More trees mean more shade on roofs, slower drying after rain, and a steady fall of leaves, needles and seed pods into valleys and gutters.

On cedar and asphalt, that shade and debris is where moss starts. Aluminum gives moss nothing to root in, but no roof clears its own gutters. Under a canopy like Kerrisdale's, plan to have them cleared every autumn and again after big winter storms.

Wind and falling branches in Kerrisdale

The Hanukkah Eve windstorm of December 15, 2006 brought winds of 70 to 125 km/h across Greater Vancouver and uprooted thousands of trees in Stanley Park. On streets as leafy as Kerrisdale's, a winter gale drops limbs as well as rain.

Interlock® roofs are warranted for wind to 193 km/h (120 mph), installed to manufacturer specification, with each panel locked to its neighbours on all four sides and the fasteners covered. No roof stops a large falling limb, though, so having dead wood over the house checked by an arborist matters as much as the roof itself.

Snow, cold and heat in Kerrisdale

Snow is occasional. The airport station averages 36.6 cm a year on 7.4 snowy days (1991–2020), and its record low is −17.8 °C. The harbour station's record high is 34.9 °C, set on July 29, 2009.

A metal roof sheds snow quickly when it does fall, so we plan snow guards above doors, steps and walkways at the estimate. Ice damming is a warranty exclusion, so roof venting and gutter heat are worth discussing on north-facing slopes under trees.

How we specify an Interlock® roof for Kerrisdale

For Kerrisdale's mix of wet winters, wind and heavy canopy, this is how the roof is planned:

Interlocking aluminum panels with concealed fasteners, warranted for wind to 193 km/h (120 mph), installed to manufacturer specification
Aluminum cannot rust, and it gives moss nothing to root in
Snow guards planned at the estimate over entries and walkways
Gutter and valley clearing still needed under trees; we show you where debris collects
Class A Fire Rated Available, as a complete assembly

Kerrisdale questions, answered

Do leaves and needles still need clearing off a metal roof in Kerrisdale?

Yes. Aluminum won't hold moss, and the smooth panels shed most debris in the rain, but valleys, gutters and the area behind chimneys still collect leaves and needles. Under Kerrisdale's canopy we suggest a clean-out each autumn and a look after any big winter storm.

How should I get ready when an atmospheric river is forecast?

Clear gutters and downpipes before the rain starts, and look for branches resting on the roof. Gutters that overflow in a long rain send water down fascia boards and walls. If your roof is old, have any lifted shingles or loose flashing fixed before the storm season.

Is snow heavy enough in Kerrisdale to need snow guards?

It is not frequent, about 7 snowy days a year at the airport station, but a sudden slide off a metal roof can land hard on a step or a car. We place snow guards where people walk and park, decided at the estimate.

Sources for this Kerrisdale guide

Product specifications are the manufacturer's (Interlock Roofing). Install counts are from our own job book. Reviewed by Scott Plumptree, October 24, 2026.

More Kerrisdale roofing pages

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