With temperatures hovering above the freezing mark, snow is a rarity here.  Tofino is the home of winter storm watching.

 

Storm watching is more than a season; it’s a thing to do, and a state of mind.   It’s a time when windsculpted shoreside trees yield once again to howling gales.  Rainfall performs its duty in this temperate rainforest, taking breaks for joyful sunbursts.  Massive driftwood logs seem as light as matchsticks as they are shuffled up and down the beach by a powerful tide.  Puddle jumping is an all-ages sport.  A daytrip to Hot Springs Cove at this time of year is an arrestingly beautiful and often solitary experience.

 

Storm watching is eagerly standing where the beach meets the forest, suited in full raingear, as you watch the giant surf roll in at what seems like slow motion.  Storm watching is inside, with just the two of you or the whole bunch of you, warmly ensconced in blankets by the fireside, telling stories and eating some Tofino-crafted comfort food.  Our chefs know how to warm a stormy night with local flavour.

 

As Tofino’s streets glisten with rain, walk briskly to your chosen inside destination, an art gallery, maybe a restaurant a friend recommended.  As you enter, feel the warm embrace of this rugged coast in storm season, where lights and friendly faces shine brightly amid the wild natural elements.  This is your winter to storm watch in Tofino.