Tofino Winter Storm Watching is Worth the Trip!

           Ever climbing up the charts of things to do in Tofino is storm watching. Over the past few years people from all over the world have been voyaging to Tofino to watch some of Mother Nature’s most violent storms crash against the vast, rugged coastline of Vancouver Island. Storm season in Tofino lasts from November to March with swells reaching up to twenty feet in height coming in from the Pacific Ocean which come pounding upon the rock and sand of the Tofino shores. There are fine accommodations offered as well in Tofino during these stormy months, many of which offer great views as well as relaxing environments.

                Tofino gets an average of five meters of rain per year and most of it comes horizontally during the intense storm season. The winds and gales come tearing up the western coast of Tofino smashing into rock and leaving the beaches strewn with driftwood. The storms are created by a low pressure air system moving northbound into the Gulf of Alaska while in the zone between, the northern arctic air and subtropical air combine to create a frontal wave as the system begins to move in a south eastward direction toward Vancouver Island. As the front travels east the pressure begins to drop rapidly and the now low pressure system increases as do the winds and waves making the perfect recipe for storm after storm to come crashing against Vancouver Island’s small town of Tofino.

The intense weather coupled with ferocious winds and the massive waves of the Pacific Ocean in all its power is what makes storm watching so popular. Throw in amazing scenery a great biosphere and a view to enjoy it all and you have the perfect place to experience storm watching, Tofino.

There are many places that offer great views in Tofino to storm watch from B&B’s to Inns. Storm watching in Tofino can be observed from a cozy room on a chair with a blanket and hot cup of tea or out in the thick of it on a boat in the Pacific Ocean during a quite literal electrifying experience. The many lodges in Tofino would be happy to accommodate you before, during or after the storms and most offer great views of the storms as you can sit comfortably just opposite them separated only by double pane windows. Because this is the offseason in Tofino, many lodges offer great storm watching prices through the months of November to March when the storms rage their strongest. Observing the picturesque sky, the ocean and the weather from a spa or comfortable room with a view to it all may be the closest experience of Heaven on earth that some will ever encounter.

After you’ve enjoyed the storm from the comfort of your own room next to a toasty fireplace, from a peak above or shore below you’ll want to engage in a fun activity for everyone known as beachcombing. Beachcombing after these massive storms has been popular amongst locals in Tofino for years and this is when many find the most interesting artifacts some stretching out from as far away as Japan. For those visiting Tofino with families during the storm season, this is a must. There are many tidepools and massive pieces of driftwood on shore that are just waiting to be explored after these storms have added new objects to be discovered.

Long Beach is a great place to both watch a storm and then beachcomb the shores after it subsides. Storm watching from Long Beach is a favorite place to watch for many who visit Tofino during storm season because the beach offers a long, peaceful walk with much to explore with a view of land, sky and sea that will calm your spirit after observing Mother Nature’s massive power. The tranquil walk after the storm will leave you in disbelief that just moments before massive gales, furious winds and pounding rain were relentlessly beating upon land, rock and sea.

Storm watching is growing in popularity during the off season months of travel and Tofino has become one of the most popular destinations to observe Mother Nature in all of her fury for the breathtaking views, hospitality and authentic west coast culture. Tofino has long been a favorite destination for tourists during the warmer summer months but it is quickly becoming popular during the stormy winter months as well for the thrill of storm watching. Check out Tofino in the winter to see some truly amazing storms in one of the most beautiful, secluded towns in North America.