Climate Comfort Score
58/100
Moderate
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 55°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Big Stone Gap, VA Climate
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: average temperature, precipitation, and comfort score
- 55°F
- Avg annual temp
- 58/100
- Comfort score
- 56.0"
- Annual precip
- 186d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Big Stone Gap
Big Stone Gap, Virginia averages 55°F a year and scores 58/100 on the comfort index - moderate, milder than 38% of U.S. cities.
- 55°F
- average temperature, NOAA 1991-2020 normal
- 58/100
- comfort score, milder than 38% of U.S. cities
- 56.0"
- annual precipitation · 9" snow
- 186 days
- frost-free growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
55°F (13°C)
Avg High
66°F
Avg Low
43°F
Annual Precip
56.0"
Annual Snow
9.2"
Comfort Score
58/100
Moderate
Avg Annual Temperature
55°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
56.0"
Plus 9.2" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Big Stone Gap) 58.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Moderate for the Big Stone Gap area.
How Big Stone Gap compares to every U.S. city
Big Stone Gap's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
58 Top 62% higher than 38% of 6,915 US cities
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Warming context for Big Stone Gap
MethodologySince 1900, U.S. land temperatures have tracked (and diverged from) the global mean - the chart below shows how. Big Stone Gap's current NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits within that longer spread, and the most recent decade runs warmer than the 30-year mean.
- United States land mean (NOAA NCEI) +0.11 °C/decade
- Global anomaly (NASA GISTEMP) +0.11 °C/decade
- Paris Agreement thresholds 1.5°C / 2.0°C
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44°F (7°C) | 24°F (-5°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 4.9" | 3.1" | 23.7 | 0.0 |
| February | 48°F (9°C) | 26°F (-3°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 5.0" | 2.9" | 21.0 | 0.0 |
| March | 57°F (14°C) | 33°F (0°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 5.4" | 1.3" | 15.6 | 0.0 |
| April | 67°F (20°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 54°F (12°C) | 5.0" | 0.0" | 5.6 | 0.0 |
| May | 75°F (24°C) | 51°F (10°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 5.1" | 0.0" | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| June | 81°F (27°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 70°F (21°C) | 4.6" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.2 |
| July | 84°F (29°C) | 63°F (17°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 5.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 4.4 |
| August | 83°F (29°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 73°F (23°C) | 4.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.7 |
| September | 79°F (26°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 67°F (20°C) | 3.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| October | 69°F (20°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 56°F (13°C) | 3.1" | 0.0" | 3.6 | 0.1 |
| November | 57°F (14°C) | 32°F (0°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 3.7" | 0.1" | 16.1 | 0.0 |
| December | 48°F (9°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 37°F (3°C) | 5.5" | 1.8" | 22.3 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 4.9"
Snow: 3.1"
11.7 days with precipitation
February 5.0"
Snow: 2.9"
11.5 days with precipitation
March 5.4"
Snow: 1.3"
13.7 days with precipitation
April 5.0"
12.1 days with precipitation
May 5.1"
13.5 days with precipitation
June 4.6"
13.0 days with precipitation
July 5.5"
13.5 days with precipitation
August 4.5"
11.5 days with precipitation
September 3.8"
9.6 days with precipitation
October 3.1"
8.4 days with precipitation
November 3.7"
Snow: 0.1"
10.1 days with precipitation
December 5.5"
Snow: 1.8"
12.4 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 23
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 20
50% probability date
Growing Season
186 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
4,663
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
863
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
What Big Stone Gap's climate means for you
Big Stone Gap runs 55°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 186 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 20 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 4,663 heating and 863 cooling degree days a year, higher means the furnace or AC runs more.
- Comparing places to live? Line this city up against nearby cities and the national rankings. See rankings
These are 30-year NOAA normals (1991–2020) - the typical year, not a forecast for any specific season.
Climate Guides
Climate Insight: Big Stone Gap, VA
The NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals describe Big Stone Gap, Virginia as a location with an annual average temperature of 55°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 66°F to a mean daily low of 43°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. These thirty-year averages, computed from station USC00440735, smooth out year-to-year variability and give a baseline expectation for typical conditions in any given month.
Anyone planning to live, garden, or travel in Big Stone Gap should weigh precipitation alongside temperature: the annual average runs 56.0 inches, with 9.2 inches typically falling as snow. The frost-free season averages 186 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 20 and the first fall freeze near October 23. And on the energy front, 4,663 heating degree days and 863 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Big Stone Gap scores 58/100 (Moderate), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. For planning purposes, look to the monthly tables above: shoulder seasons bring the mildest highs and lows, summer brings July-driven heat, and deep winter brings January-driven cold. Treat every figure here as a thirty-year average rather than a forecast - individual years routinely run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Big Stone Gap, VA? ▼
The average annual temperature in Big Stone Gap, Virginia is 55°F. The warmest month averages 84°F (29°C) and the coldest averages 24°F (-5°C).
How much rain does Big Stone Gap get? ▼
Big Stone Gap receives 56.0 inches of precipitation annually, including 9.2 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Big Stone Gap? ▼
Big Stone Gap has a climate comfort score of 58/100 (Moderate), milder than 38% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Big Stone Gap? ▼
Big Stone Gap has approximately 186 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 20 and the first fall freeze around October 23.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Big Stone Gap? ▼
Big Stone Gap has 4,663 heating degree days and 863 cooling degree days annually, a heating-dominated climate. See our <a href="/guides/reading-weather-data/" class="underline hover:text-brand-600">guide to reading weather data</a> for what these figures mean.
Where does this Big Stone Gap climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USC00440735 near Big Stone Gap.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USC00440735. For informational purposes only.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainClimate Editorial
Every figure on PlainClimate is rendered directly from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.