Planning to visit the Richmond area or are you moving to Richmond, VA? One of the first things you should understand to be prepared is what the weather is like in the area. While there are some hot, sweltering weeks of summer, you’ll love the Richmond, VA climate overall!
Richmond, Virginia has a humid subtropical climate (Cfa) with moderately cold winters and very hot, humid summers. The C means “mild temperate,” the “f” is for fully humid, and the “a” is for hot summer. Group C subtropical climates are defined as having at least 8 months a year with a mean temperature of 50 °F or higher.
The Virginia climate is sometimes described as “Goldilocks climate” because it’s not too hot and not too cold. It rarely dips below 16°F or higher than 96°F. The mountains to the west of Richmond help guard the area from cold continental air during the winter, delaying Arctic winds long enough for them to warm as they get closer. The Atlantic Ocean and Chesapeake Bay waters help contribute to Richmond’s cool winters and humid summer weather.
Here’s what you can expect from Richmond, Virginia weather year round.
Richmond, VA Climate & Weather by Season
The humid subtropical Richmond climate offers the beauty and variety of all four seasons. You’ll get about 112 days of precipitation per year, but it varies significantly by season and month. Here’s the Richmond average temperature by month plus seasonal precipitation and fun things to do!
Richmond, VA Spring Weather
Spring starts in March in Richmond, Virginia and brings blooming flowers, comfortable but brisk temperatures, and plenty to see and do. The season starts off chilly with lows in the mid-30s but warms up to highs in the low to high 70s by April. While chilly, most of springtime in Richmond is dry without much snowfall or rain.
Enjoy the warming weather with a picnic on the Capitol lawn, visiting the best Richmond parks to see the cherry blossoms, exploring Colonial Williamsburg during lambing season, and visiting the Richmond Raceway for the start of NASCAR racing!
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Richmond Summer Weather
Summer starts in June in Richmond and brings long, hot, humid, and wet weather with frequent thunderstorms. By July, the average high temperature is 88°F and it rarely drops below 69°F during the summer.
You’ll get about 43 days a year with high temperatures at or above 90°F but thankfully, temperatures exceeding 100°F are infrequent and don’t happen every year. High humidity makes the excessive heat more uncomfortable, but thankfully, humidity is low for the rest of the year.
Summer is the rainy season in Richmond – 27% of summer days are rainy so make sure you have a good raincoat and umbrella! You’ll also need to be ready for thunderstorms. Severe storms sometimes sweep through Richmond with lightning, heavy wind, and heavy rain fed by the high humidity and temperatures.
There are plenty of ways to beat the heat and enjoy the summer heat. Hadad’s Lake is a family-friendly water park with picnic grounds, fishing, rope swings, and a filtered, chlorinated swimming lake. You’ll also find tons of summer recreation on the James River including kayaking! Visit the Metro Richmond Zoo and Busch Gardens for roller coasters, shows, animal encounters, and themed events.
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Richmond Fall Weather
Fall starts in September in Richmond with much-needed relief from summer heat and humidity. This is the most comfortable season in Richmond with the least amount of rain and average high temperatures starting in the low 80s in September and reaching the low 60s by November.
Summer may be the rainy season with the most rainy days, but autumn in Richmond is the wettest time of the year by total rainfall with 29% of the year’s total precipitation.
Fall is a great time to enjoy the outdoors in Richmond. Sample your way through the city on the Richmond Beer Trail, make a trip out to Orchards and Berry Farms to pick your own pumpkins and apples, or take a drive to see the beautiful fall foliage in the Blue Ridge.
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Richmond, VA Winter Weather
Richmond winter starts in December and brings snow flurries and the occasional ice storm. Winter in Richmond, VA is cold and snowy, but the winters are fairly short. Be ready for the snowy, chilly days! If you aren’t a fan of chilly weather, gloves, and scrapping ice off the car, there’s good news: the very cold season is short and Richmond temperatures rarely drop below 0°F.
The average high temperature during the Richmond winter season is under 55°F.
Does it snow in Richmond Virginia? Yes, but Richmond gets below-average snowfall. You’ll get about 11” of annual Richmond snow, but it usually melts within a day or two.
There are plenty of fun things to do in Richmond, VA in winter. One of the top winter activities is a visit to the Kings Dominion theme park for WinterFest when the Eiffel Tower is transformed into a 300-foot-tall Christmas tree and the fountain becomes an ice skating rink.
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Richmond Monthly Weather | Average Temperature in Richmond VA by Month
January
January is the coldest month in Richmond with an average high of 47°F and an average low of 30°F. The daily mean temperature in Richmond, VA in January is 38°F. About 6 days out of the month have high temperatures at or below freezing. There are about 21 freezing days below 32°F during January.
January is also the snowiest month in Richmond, Virginia with 4.5” of snowfall. That’s more than 40% of the annual snowfall in a single month!
February
February is the driest month in Richmond with an average of 2.9” of rainfall, but you’ll get 3.3” of average snowfall in Richmond, VA this month. The average temperature in Richmond in February is a low of 30°F and a high of 51°F.
March
March is the first month of springtime in Richmond and it marks the end of below freezing nighttime temperatures. The average temperature in Richmond is now climbing to a low of 36°F and a high of 60°F in March.
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April
By April, the average high temperature is 70°F with a low of 45°F. April usually gets less average rainfall in Richmond than March or May and the number of freezing days drops from 11 in March to just 2 in April. April also marks the start of NASCAR Cup Series racing!
May
Elsewhere, April showers may bring May flowers, but in Richmond, May is the start of the rainy season which runs through August. There’s a 30% chance of rain during the month with an average low of 54°F and an average high temperature of 78°F. It’s one of the best times to visit Richmond before temperatures start to soar in June and bring more rain and thunderstorms.
One of Richmond’s most popular spring events happens in May. Dominion Energy Riverrock is the premier music and outdoor lifestyle festival right on the riverfront of downtown Richmond.
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June
By June, the Richmond, VA average humidity and temperature starts to quickly climb higher. The average temperature in Richmond, VA in June is a low of 64°F with a high of 86°F. There are about 9 average very hot days in June with temperatures over 90°F and average humidity of 64%.
July
July is the hottest month in Richmond and the most unpleasant. The average high is 88°F with a daily mean temperature of 79°F. About 15 days in July are very hot with sweltering temperatures exceeding 90°F. July is also the most humid month with average humidity of nearly 70%.
Along with high temperatures and humidity, July has the most rainy days of the year. About 11 days in July are rainy.
August
By August, the temperature starts to drop along with the humidity. August is still plenty hot, though, with an average low of 70°F and an average high of 88°F with 11 average days above 90°F. There are 11 average very hot days above 90°F, a drop from July that brings more tolerable temperatures for spending time outside.
August is the wettest month in Richmond, Virginia by total rainfall with 4.7” of rain and 10 rainy days.
September
September is one of the best months to visit Richmond thanks to perfectly warm temperatures, sunny days, and crisp nighttime air. The average temperature in Richmond in September is a low of 59°F to a high of 81°F.
October
After September, October is one of the most pleasant months in Richmond with an average high of almost 71°F and an average low of 47°F. October is also the driest month with the fewest rainy days in Richmond – perfect for enjoying the outdoors!
November
November is the last day of autumn in Richmond and it brings rapidly dropping temperatures and an increasing chance of frost. There are 8 freezing days on average in November with an average low of 38°F and an average high of 61°F. There’s a chance you’ll glimpse some Richmond snow in November, but unlikely.
Starting in late November, the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens hosts the annual GardenFest of Lights display with model trains, millions of lights, hot chocolate, s’mores, and fire pits.
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December
December is the start of winter with sharply dropping temperatures and the arrival of Richmond snow. There are 20 average freezing days in December and average lows finally dropping below freezing. The average temperature in Richmond, VA in December ranges from a low of 30°F to a high of 50°F.
Be sure to visit Kanawha Plaza on the first Friday of the month for the start of RVA Illuminates with a beautiful light display that’s best seen from the south side of the city.
Annual Richmond Climate Statistics
- Average number of sunny days: 210 (U.S. average: 205)
- Average rainfall in Richmond VA: 44” (U.S. average: 38”)
- Average snowfall in Richmond: 11” (U.S. average: 28”)
- Coldest month: January (average low of 27.6°F)
- Hottest month: July (average high of 89.7°F)
- Driest month: October (average of 7 rainy days)
- Wettest month: August (average of 4.7” of rain)
- Rainiest month: July (11 average rainy days)
- Most humid month: July (average humidity of 70%)
- Snowiest month: January (4.5” of snow)
- Sunniest month: June
- Richmond record cold temperature: -12°F (January 19, 1940)
- Richmond record high temperature: 107°F (August 6, 1918)
Richmond Winter Storms, Summer Thunderstorms & Flooding – Extreme Weather in Richmond, VA
While the climate in Richmond, VA is mostly pleasant aside from the peak of the heat and humidity of the summer, the region does have its share of extreme weather.
The very hot, humid weather during the summer fuels frequent thunderstorms in Richmond. When severe storms roll through, usually in the form of straight-line thunderstorms, they can bring heavy rain, large hail, lighting, and winds over 58mph. These storms can be more deadly and damaging than tornadoes. In 2012, a severe thunderstorm in the region caused 22 deaths and millions in damage. On average, there are 21 days with thunderstorms over the summer.
Flooding is another major concern. The James River reaches tidewater at the city and flooding can happen any time of the year. Richmond floods are most common during March.
During the winter, a Richmond, VA ice storm is not an uncommon occurrence. These Richmond winter storms usually don’t cause significant damage, but the freezing rain can be dangerous, especially on the road.
Hurricanes and tornadoes are infrequent in Richmond but also have the potential to cause widespread damage. Hurricanes that pass close to Richmond have caused record rainfall. In 2004, Hurricane Gaston dumped about 12” of rain on Richmond and caused extensive flooding downtown. Tropical storms and hurricanes are most likely to cause flooding during the early fall and summer.
Best Time to Visit Richmond, Virginia
Want to experience Richmond at its best with the most comfortable weather? The best time to visit Richmond is the end of spring or the first two months of fall.
In May, you’ll enjoy the best of spring and summer weather in Richmond. May is the beginning of the rainy season, but you’ll have plenty of clear days before the extreme heat and rising humidity of June and a perfect average high of 78°F. Enjoy events like Dominion Energy Riverrock, see the flowers blooming throughout the parks in Richmond, or enjoy long walks and hikes while soaking up the sun.
September and October are also perfect times to explore Richmond, VA with ideal average high temperatures of 71°F to 82°F and the fewest rainy days of the year.
The Richmond climate is perfect if you want to enjoy all four seasons including some snow with temperatures that almost never go below 0 degrees or above 100. If you’re preparing to settle down in the Richmond area, give us a call at On the Fly Moving Guys to get started with a free, personalized moving quote so you can start enjoying everything Richmond has to offer year-round!
