Comparison
Banff Sunshine vs Revelstoke: which has more reliable snow?
Banff Sunshine or Revelstoke? Natural snow month by month, at the village, mid-mountain and summit, from eleven winters of weather data.
Month by month
Each cell is one month: the share of days with 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow at mid-mountain over the last 11 winters, from brown (often thin) to deep blue (snow-sure). Blank means almost none.
The short answer
Banff Sunshine has had the more reliable natural snow: mid-mountain was snow-sure in 4 months of the year, against 3 at Revelstoke. Month by month, Banff Sunshine has the edge in April and May.
Month by month
November: Banff Sunshine 0 of 11, Revelstoke 0 of 11 snow-sure winters (28% and 20% of days).
December: Banff Sunshine 7 of 11, Revelstoke 7 of 11 snow-sure winters (82% and 89% of days).
January: Banff Sunshine 11 of 11, Revelstoke 11 of 11 snow-sure winters (100% and 100% of days).
February: Banff Sunshine 11 of 11, Revelstoke 11 of 11 snow-sure winters (100% and 100% of days).
March: Banff Sunshine 11 of 11, Revelstoke 11 of 11 snow-sure winters (100% and 100% of days).
April: Banff Sunshine 11 of 11, Revelstoke 8 of 11 snow-sure winters (100% and 92% of days).
May: Banff Sunshine 4 of 11, Revelstoke 0 of 11 snow-sure winters (61% and 15% of days).
A snow-sure winter is one where mid-mountain had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on at least 90% of that month’s days.
Height and terrain
Banff Sunshine and Revelstoke are 169 km apart as the crow flies. Banff Sunshine first, then Revelstoke: Village 1,660 m against 512 m; Mid-mountain 2,195 m against 1,368 m; Summit 2,730 m against 2,225 m. Mapped downhill runs: Banff Sunshine 77 km, Revelstoke 84 km (OpenStreetMap).
In February, the village had 30 cm or more of natural snow on 80% of days at Banff Sunshine and 0% at Revelstoke.
Questions
Which has more reliable snow, Banff Sunshine or Revelstoke?
Banff Sunshine has had the more reliable natural snow: mid-mountain was snow-sure in 4 months of the year, against 3 at Revelstoke. Month by month, Banff Sunshine has the edge in April and May.
Which has better snow down to the village, Banff Sunshine or Revelstoke?
In February, Banff Sunshine: its village had 30 cm or more of modelled natural snow on 80% of days, against 0%.
Does this include snowmaking?
No. These are modelled natural snow figures only, from ERA5 weather. Groomed pistes with snowmaking often ski better than this.