Gathright Dam, VA Climate

Climate Insight: Gathright Dam, VA

Based on station USC00443310 feeding NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals, Gathright Dam, Virginia averages 52°F a year, ranging from a mean daily high of 63°F to a mean daily low of 42°F. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Because these figures are thirty-year averages rather than any single year's readings, they describe the typical month, not a forecast for it.

Beyond temperature, Gathright Dam averages 40.1 inches of precipitation annually, with 18.3 inches typically falling as snow - a real factor for anyone planning to live, garden, or travel here. The frost-free season averages 182 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 22 and the first fall freeze near October 21. Turning to energy use, 5,220 heating degree days and 659 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.

On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Gathright Dam scores 68/100 (Good), a blended measure that weighs temperature mildness, precipitation moderation, and extreme-weather frequency against one another. The monthly tables above turn that into a planning tool: expect the mildest highs and lows in the shoulder seasons, July-driven heat at the peak of summer, and January-driven cold at the depth of winter. Every number here is a thirty-year average, not a forecast, so any given year can and does run warmer, cooler, wetter, or drier than the normal.