Does it snow in Virginia?

Baptized under the name of Mother of Presidents and Old Dominion, the state of Virginia, the first English colony in the new world and one of the 13 colonies that participated in the war of independence of its country, stands as one of the most valuable banners in the history of the United States.

Today, two centuries after the end of the War of Independence of the United States, the spirit of the Founding Fathers continues to be present in the many historical museums spread across several cities and counties in Virginia: such as Alexandria, Fairfax, Arlington, and Richmond.

Thus, we don't lie when we tell you that: if you consider yourself passionate about the history of the United States, the State of Virginia is the ideal place for you.

Visit Virginia and see some of America's famed historic landmarks like The Washington Masonic National Memorial in Alexandria, George Washington's Mount Vernon in Fairfax County, The US Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington County, and The White House of the Confederacy in Richmond.

As if all this were not enough, you can also enjoy spectacular summer vacations in Virginia Beach, the most populous city in the state.

Snow in Virginia? ❄

Based on the Köppen climate classification, Virginia has three climate types: humid subtropical climate (Cfa), oceanic climate (Cfb), and humid continental climate (Dfb).

Such climatological variety finds its origin in several factors: such as Virginia's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream, its uneven geological structure, and the notable atmospheric pollution present in Arlington and Fairfax County.

Likewise, there's another significant climate change catalyst in Virginia: the cold-air damming. This meteorological phenomenon, produced mainly by the Appalachian Mountains, is primarily responsible for inducing the winter snowfall that hits Virginia during this season.

While the snowfalls produced by cold-air damming do not exceed 10 inches of accumulation in Virginia (generally), since January 2016 blizzard, average snow accumulation has significantly exceeded that figure.

The climate of Virginia ⛅

VIRGINIA WEATHER

As explained in the previous section, according to the Köppen climate classification, Virginia has three distinct types of climates:

• Humid subtropical (Cfa).
• Oceanic (Cfb).
• Humid continental (Dfb).

Each of these three variations has its territorial extension and predominance in Virginia. Likewise, these depend directly on its proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean (and the ocean currents that reside there).

Technical characteristics

• Climate types (Köppen climate classification): humid subtropical (Cfa), oceanic (Cfb), and humid continental (Dfb)
• Average maximum temperatures in summer: 82.75 °F (28.2 °C).
• Average maximum temperatures in winter: 48.75 °F (9.3 °C).
• The average minimum temperature in summer: 60.75 °F (15.9 °C).
• Average minimum temperatures in winter: 28 °F (-2.2 °C).
• Average rainfall per year: 43.49 inches (110.4 cm).
• Driest region: Shenandoah Valley.
• Average range of thunderstorms per year: 35-45 days.
• Seasons with higher probability of thunderstorms: spring and summer.
• Seasons with highest probability of tornadoes: spring and summer.
• Season with highest probability of hurricanes and tropical storms: summer.
• Season with highest probability of snowfall: winter.
• All-time snow accumulation maximum: 36.6 inches / 92.9 cm (January 2016 blizzard).
• Average annual snow accumulation: 10 inches / 25.4 cm.

When does it snow in Virginia? 🌨

Does it snow in Virginia in October?

Yes, it might snow in October. Although, the odds are extremely low.

Does it snow in Virginia in November?

Yes, it might snow in October. From this month, it is possible to see considerable snowfalls in almost all of Virginia. In Monterey, for example, average snow accumulation exceeds two inches (5 cm) in November.

Does it snow in Virginia in December?

Yes, it does! December is one of the months with the highest levels of average snow accumulation in Virginia. Not surprisingly, some of its cities have had the good fortune to experience a White Christmas, such as Richmond, the state capital, in 2009.

Does it snow in Virginia in January?

Yes, it does! As surprising as it may seem, January is not the snowiest month in Virginia, but the second, unlike the rest of the states in the United States.

Does it snow in Virginia in February?

Yes, it does! February is, by far, the snowiest month in Virginia. During this month, some cities like Monterey, Floyd, Christiansburg, and Fairfax typically exceed seven inches (17.7 cm) of snow accumulation on average.

Does it snow in Virginia in March?

Yes, it does! Despite being the last winter month, the average snow accumulation remains considerably high. Even Monterey City exhibits almost five inches (12.7 cm) of snow accumulation during this month.

Does it snow in Virginia in April?

Yes, it might snow in April. While the snowfall diminishes considerably throughout Virginia (even disappearing completely in many cities), this weather phenomenon is still present in at least 30 county seats during this month.

Where does it snow in Virginia? 🌨

Taking the month of February as a reference because it is the one that exhibits the highest levels of snowfall during the Virginia winter, we present below a table in which we directly answer the question in this section (Where does it snow in Virginia?):

How much does it snow in Virginia? 🌨

Next, we expose a comparison chart of the average snow accumulation throughout a sliding 31-day period (centered on the day in question) in the ninety-five county seats of Virginia: