Due to its elevation, the Blue Ridge Mountains have a humid continental climate.
The climate of Virginia, a state on the east coast of the United States, is considered[by whom?] mild compared to more northern areas of the United States such as New England and the Midwest. Most[clarification needed] of Virginia east of the Blue Ridge mountains, the southern part of the Shenandoah Valley, and the Roanoke Valley, has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classificationCfa). In the mountainous areas west of the Blue Ridge, the climate is warm-summer humid continental (Köppen Dfb) or oceanic climate (Köppen Cfb).[1][2] Severe weather, in the form of tornadoes, tropical cyclones, and winter storms, impacts the state on a regular basis. Central Virginia received significant snowfall of 20 inches in December 2009.
The USDA Hardiness Zones for Virginia range from Zone 5A (-20°F to -15°F) in the mountains, to Zone 8A (10°F to 15°F) along the coast.
A lot of variations occur because of the state's significant relief. Elevations in Virginia vary from sea level to Mount Rogers at 5,729 ft (1,746 m) above sea level, with major gradations occurring at the edges of the Atlantic Ocean, the end of the Piedmont, and the Blue Ridge and Allegheny chains of the Appalachian Mountains. The moderating influence of the ocean from the east, powered by the Gulf Stream, also creates the potential for hurricanes near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. Cold air masses arrive over the mountains, especially in winter, which can lead to significant snowfalls when coastal storms known as noreasters move up the Atlantic coast.
The interaction of these elements with the state's topography create micro-climates in the Shenandoah Valley, the mountainous southwest, and the coastal plains that are slightly but noticeably distinct from each other.[3]
Statistics for selected cities
The highest recorded temperature is 115 °F (46 °C) at Balcony Falls on July 15, 1954, and the lowest recorded temperature is −30 °F (−34 °C) at Mountain Lake on January 22, 1985.[4]
Severe weather is a concern in Virginia. Hurricanes make the coastal area of Virginia vulnerable. It is rare for a major hurricane to threaten the Virginia coast as hurricanes this far north tend to weaken due to cooler coast waters and increasingly westerly winds aloft. Heavy rain from tropical cyclones remains a concern, however. Hurricane Isabel in 2003 brought much destruction from wind and rain, killing 10 directly and doing nearly two billion dollars in damage. Hurricane Gaston in 2004 inundated Richmond after moving ashore South Carolina.[25] Virginia is often struck with the remnants of systems which hit along the Gulf of Mexico coastline, which also bring torrential rain to the state. Hurricane Camille was an extreme example, bringing 27 inches (690 mm) of rainfall to portions of Nelson County in a matter of hours.[26] Thunderstorms are an occasional concern with the state averaging anywhere from 35 to 45 days of thunderstorm activity annually.[27]
Rainfall in Virginia is frequent, but does not normally get severe enough for floods. Virginia averages seven tornadoes annually, though most are F2 and lower on the Fujita scale.[28] However, Virginia had eighty-five in 2004.[29] Western Virginia has a lower rate of tornadoes.[30]
"Virginia's climate is changing. Most of the state has warmed about one degree (F) in the last century, and the sea is rising one to two inches every decade. Higher water levels are eroding beaches, submerging low lands, exacerbating coastal flooding, and increasing the salinity of estuaries and aquifers. The southeastern United States has warmed less than most of the nation. But in the coming decades, the region's changing climate is likely to reduce crop yields, harm livestock, increase the number of unpleasantly hot days, and increase the risk of heat stroke and other heat-related illnesses".[31]
Seasons
Winter in Virginia is characterized by large swings in temperature throughout and between days. This does not happen every day of the month, however. It may be 50 degrees and windy one morning, and 70 degrees and calm the next afternoon. In Winter, it gets quite cold. Temperatures usually range from the 50s to the high 20s in December; while in January, it can range from the 40s, all the way down to the teens. Snowfall can be moderate or high during the Winter. Almost every year, Virginia receives snow during December, and every year in January-February.
In the summer, temperatures are hot and humid. Precipitation is slightly greater. Temperatures are not extreme, ranging between the high 70s and mid 90s; but humidity can make it seem hotter.
As for sunlight, Virginia is about average in state rankings.[32] Areas on the Chesapeake Coast and Eastern Shore are brightest, while the west and north of the state is more cloudy. On the Winter Solstice, Virginia gets between 9 and 10 hours of sunlight. On the summer solstice, it gets between 14.5 and 15 hours.
^Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
^Official records for Lynchburg were kept at the Weather Bureau Office from January 1893 to July 1944, and at Lynchburg Regional since August 1944. For more information, see ThreadEx
^Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
^Official records for Norfolk kept January 1874 to December 1945 at the Weather Bureau Office in downtown, and at Norfolk Int'l since January 1946. For more information, see Threadex.
^Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
^Official records for Richmond kept January 1887 to December 1910 at downtown, Chimborazo Park from January 1911 to December 1929, and at Richmond Int'l since January 1930. For more information, see Threadex
^Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
^Official records for Washington, D.C. were kept at 24th and M Streets NW from January 1871 to June 1945, and at Reagan National Airport since July 1945.[16]
^Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
^"Station: Lynchburg RGNL AP, VA". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
^"Station: NORFOLK INTL AP, VA". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
^"Station: Washington DC DULLES AP, VA". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved July 5, 2021.
