Norfolk, VA Climate: Temperature & Rain by Month
Pulled from NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 normals →: climate measurements used in PlainClimate's documented score
30-year climate normals (1991-2020) from Norfolk's primary NOAA station, NORFOLK INTL AP - 2 stations mapped to the area.
The climate verdict for Norfolk
Water is the standout signal in Norfolk, Virginia: 49.2 inches of precipitation in a normal year. Against that wet profile, NOAA records an annual average of 62°F. It scores 92/100 for climate comfort (excellent), putting it in the top third of station-mapped location scores and exceeding 92% of them.
- 62°F
- yearly average temperature, NOAA normal
- 92/100
- comfort score, above 92% of station-mapped location scores
- 49.2"
- annual precipitation · 6" snow
- 251 days
- growing season, frost-free days
Norfolk: NOAA 1991-2020 normals describe a typical year, not a forecast. Method: /methodology.
Normals record plate
Sheet USW00013737 · Norfolk, VA 62°F mean · 49.2" precip
TEMP-MILD · RANK-UPPER · PHOTO-FINISH · PRCP-MID · SWING-MID · COMF-TOP · LOAD-MIX · STN-MULTI · BOOK-FULL
- TEMP-MILD 62°F
- RANK-UPPER #5,420
- PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Ada
- PRCP-MID 49.2"
- SWING-MID 39°F
- COMF-TOP 92/100
- LOAD-MIX H/C balanced
- STN-MULTI USW00013737
- BOOK-FULL 6/6 fields
Nearest mean-temperature peer: Ada, OK (+ 0 °F mean)
Instrument codes from this station's NOAA 1991–2020 normals, mean temperature, corpus warmth rank, photo-finish peer station, precipitation band, seasonal swing, comfort composite, degree-day load, and field book, not a livability rating.
Mean-temperature neighbourhood
Nationwide NOAA normal poles and nearest peers, not a reprint of every VA station list.
- Norfolk (this station) 62°F
- Hot Chico Univ Farm, CA 62°F
- Near Ada, OK 62°F
- Near Ardmore, TN 62°F
- Near Belhaven, NC 62°F
Climate Living Index · Norfolk
Norfolk: 72/100 · grade B
Norfolk publishes all six Living Index dimensions from NOAA annual/seasonal normals · NOAA daily multivariate normals · NOAA hourly normals.
PlainClimate-derived for Norfolk, not an official NOAA rating. Rankings still use Comfort Score 92/100 (separate formula). Breakpoints and limits.
| Dimension | Station value | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Normal heat + freeze calendar | 0 calendar days | 100/100 · A |
| Frost-free season | 251 days/year | 89/100 · A |
| Annual temperature balance | 61.6°F · 5.9° from 67.5°F | 82/100 · B |
| Snowfall burden | 6.2 inches/year | 69/100 · C |
| Precipitation balance | 49.2 in · 14.2 from 35 in | 50/100 · D |
| Summer moisture balance | 68.7°F mean dew point | 19/100 · F |
Norfolk · 2026-08-04 · NOAA NCEI Climate Normals · method · Comfort Score method.
Norfolk is a temperate Köppen climate: Cfa
Coldest-month mean 42.2°F and warmest-month mean 81.1°F place this station in temperate, no dry season, hot summer climates (Cfa). Class Cfa is the Peel et al. (2007) label for this station's monthly mean temperature and precipitation normals: temperate, specifically temperate, no dry season, hot summer.
- Köppen code
- Cfa
- Group
- Temperate
- Warmest month
- 81.1°F
- Coldest month
- 42.2°F
Source: official public datasets monthly normals (1991–2020) at the city’s primary station. This is a station classification, not a mapped regional consensus.
National standing · balanced station
Where Norfolk sits across the climate record
Three NOAA fields for Norfolk's primary station, temperature, precipitation, and seasonal swing, are ranked against every station-mapped normal that carries the same field.
- Annual temperature
- Top 21% warmest
- Among 6,861 stations, Norfolk sits in the warmer third of annual means.
- Annual precipitation
- Top 21% wettest
- Norfolk's annual total ranks in the wetter third of 6,352 measured normals.
- Seasonal temperature swing
- 31st percentile swing
- Typical seasonal amplitude versus 6,861 complete station-years.
How Norfolk compares across U.S. station-mapped locations
Norfolk's comfort score vs. all station-mapped locations
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
92 Top 8% score exceeds 92% of 6,189 station-mapped location scores
- 0–10: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
- 10–20: 0 station-mapped locations (0%). Below this entry.
- 20–30: 96 station-mapped locations (2%). Below this entry.
- 30–40: 280 station-mapped locations (5%). Below this entry.
- 40–50: 1,113 station-mapped locations (18%). Below this entry.
- 50–60: 1,329 station-mapped locations (21%). Below this entry.
- 60–70: 1,236 station-mapped locations (20%). Below this entry.
- 70–80: 650 station-mapped locations (11%). Below this entry.
- 80–90: 921 station-mapped locations (15%). Below this entry.
- 90–100: 564 station-mapped locations (9%). This entry sits in this band.
Source NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, PlainClimate comfort index · 1991–2020
Norfolk's measured station temperature trend
MethodologyAcross 125 complete annual observations from 1871 to 2025, NORFOLK INTL AP warmed at a fitted rate of 0.12°C per decade. The line shows the fitted change relative to its first year, not raw year-to-year temperatures or a forecast.
- Norfolk primary station fitted change +0.11 °C/decade
Monthly Temperatures
Average daily high and low temperatures by month
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Mean | Precip | Snow | Freeze Days | 90°F+ Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 51°F (10°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 42°F (6°C) | 3.4" | 3.2" | 14.2 | 0.0 |
| February | 53°F (12°C) | 35°F (2°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 2.9" | 1.5" | 10.2 | 0.0 |
| March | 60°F (16°C) | 41°F (5°C) | 51°F (10°C) | 3.7" | 0.4" | 4.2 | 0.0 |
| April | 70°F (21°C) | 50°F (10°C) | 60°F (16°C) | 3.4" | 0.0" | 0.1 | 0.4 |
| May | 77°F (25°C) | 59°F (15°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 3.8" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.1 |
| June | 85°F (30°C) | 68°F (20°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 4.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 7.9 |
| July | 89°F (32°C) | 73°F (23°C) | 81°F (27°C) | 6.1" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 14.5 |
| August | 87°F (31°C) | 72°F (22°C) | 79°F (26°C) | 5.9" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 8.9 |
| September | 81°F (27°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 74°F (23°C) | 5.4" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 2.3 |
| October | 72°F (22°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 3.9" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 0.1 |
| November | 62°F (17°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 3.1" | 0.0" | 2.6 | 0.0 |
| December | 55°F (13°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 3.3" | 1.1" | 9.4 | 0.0 |
The year, day by day
The calendar barely moves in Norfolk: no date carries a normal high of 90°F or a normal low at freezing. The year runs between 33°F near January 20 and 90°F near July 13.
No freezing date
Not one calendar date in the 1991–2020 record carries a normal low at or below 32°F. The coldest normal low of the year is 33°F around January 20.
Where the wet dates fall
The likeliest wet date is May 5, when 37% of years recorded at least a hundredth of an inch. The driest is October 4 at 27%. Summed across the calendar, that is about 118 wet dates a year.
The widest day
April 13 carries the biggest normal gap between afternoon and dawn, 20°F between the normal high and the normal low.
Look up any date
Any date's 1991–2020 normal for Norfolk.
Where Norfolk Stands Nationally
Among the steadiest day-night climates ranked: even the widest normal daily swing holds to roughly 20°F.
Norfolk earns one nationally notable standing (outer quintile) against 6,860 NOAA 1991–2020 normals stations, middle-of-the-pack metrics stay silent here.
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
Snow: 3.2"
10.7 days with precipitation
Snow: 1.5"
9.2 days with precipitation
Snow: 0.4"
10.9 days with precipitation
10.0 days with precipitation
11.2 days with precipitation
9.7 days with precipitation
10.6 days with precipitation
10.2 days with precipitation
9.4 days with precipitation
7.7 days with precipitation
8.9 days with precipitation
Snow: 1.1"
9.9 days with precipitation
Norfolk spreads its precipitation across the year
Neither half of the year dominates here: June through August take 33% of the annual total and December through February 19%, with neither reaching the 35% that would mark a distinct wet season. Norfolk has no dry season to plan around, though it does carry a 38.9°F seasonal spread.
The gap between the wettest and driest month still matters: July averages 6.1" and February 2.9". The three wettest months together take 35% of the year, against the 25% a perfectly flat distribution would give them.
Shares are computed from this station's own 1991-2020 monthly precipitation normals. "Spread across the year" means neither the June-August nor the December-February share reaches 35%; it describes an average year, not the variability of any single one.
When it rains in Norfolk, it arrives in quantity
49.2" of precipitation falls across only about 118 wet days here, averaging 0.42 inches each. Fewer days carry more water: the year's total is delivered in comparatively heavy events rather than persistent damp.
- Days with measurable precipitation
- about 118 a year, 32% of all days
- Average depth per wet day
- 0.42 inches
- Most wet days
- May, about 11
- Fewest wet days
- October, about 8
A wet day is one recording at least 0.01 inches. These are 1991-2020 normals: they describe an average year, and a per-day average is not a forecast of any individual storm.
Snow reaches Norfolk, but rarely amounts to much
The normals record 6.2 inches of snow a year here, most likely in January. That is a real but marginal amount: enough that snow is part of the local record, not enough to define the winter.
A figure in this range usually reflects a handful of events that melt quickly rather than a season of accumulation; about 4 days a year record any measurable snow at all.
NOAA 1991-2020 normals. An average across thirty years can smooth away a single heavy winter, so a small annual figure does not mean a significant snowfall is impossible.
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
November 23
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
March 17
50% probability date
Growing Season
251 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
3,070
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,873
Higher = more cooling needed
Warmest Month
July
Coldest Month
January
Humidity & Wind
Monthly averages from hourly observations
| Month | Humidity | Wind (mph) | Clear Sky % | Overcast % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 63% | 9.7 | 47% | 27% |
| February | 63% | 10.3 | 43% | 30% |
| March | 63% | 10.7 | 47% | 25% |
| April | 66% | 10.5 | 42% | 21% |
| May | 71% | 8.9 | 41% | 18% |
| June | 70% | 8.2 | 42% | 9% |
| July | 74% | 7.8 | 38% | 13% |
| August | 74% | 8.5 | 39% | 15% |
| September | 73% | 8.9 | 39% | 21% |
| October | 70% | 8.7 | 46% | 24% |
| November | 67% | 8.6 | 48% | 21% |
| December | 68% | 8.9 | 44% | 26% |
Nationwide similar cities
Other rankable U.S. places outside VA closest to Norfolk on two NOAA annual-normal axes (mean temperature and annual precipitation). Chip rows use distinct link sets.
Closest by average temperature
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual mean temperature (62°F here).
- Ada, OK 62°F · 0.0°F off
- Ardmore, TN 62°F · 0.0°F off
- Belhaven, NC 62°F · 0.0°F off
- Haleyville, AL 62°F · 0.0°F off
Closest by annual precipitation
Nearest out-of-state peers by annual precipitation (49.2" here), excluding temperature-peer places.
- Boonton, NJ 49.2" · 0.0" off
- Buckhannon, WV 49.2" · 0.0" off
- Walton, NY 49.1" · 0.0" off
- Willits, CA 49.2" · 0.0" off
Data-derived climate profile
How Norfolk's climate pattern fits together
mixed demand · wet · mid swing
Water is prominent even though neither heating nor cooling wholly defines the record. Norfolk averages 49.2 inches of precipitation a year. Annual snowfall totals 6.2 inches. The monthly table supplies the seasonal distribution hidden by that annual total.
July and January mark the typical warm and cold ends of the calendar in Norfolk's middle-range seasonal profile. The measured spread is 38.9°F. The annual average is 62°F. Neither the annual mean nor one extreme month represents the full calendar on its own.
Heating and cooling both register in Norfolk's normal, at 3,070 and 1,873 degree days respectively. Neither total exceeds the other by more than two to one, so the record is better read as a mixed-demand calendar than as heating-led or cooling-led.
The frost-free window extends for about 251 days. That is a long calendar measure, but it is not a forecast and does not combine heat, rainfall, soil, or local elevation into a planting recommendation.
These labels group NOAA 1991-2020 normals from Norfolk's primary station, where heating and cooling demand are close enough that neither season sets the character on its own. On a balanced station like Norfolk, the bands are descriptive ranges rather than an official NOAA classification or a forecast.
Questions about Norfolk's climate
How much rain does Norfolk get? ▼
How many days above 90°F does Norfolk get? ▼
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Norfolk? ▼
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). All figures on this page are from Norfolk's primary station: NORFOLK INTL AP (USW00013737). 2 NOAA stations are mapped to the Norfolk area; the primary station's record is used for consistency. For informational purposes only.
Place identity: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer places. The 2024 Census Gazetteer identifies the exact name-and-state match as an incorporated place (GEOID 5157000). Match rule for Norfolk: exact normalized name + state only, no fuzzy expansion, so nearby differently spelled facilities stay unmatched.
On this page every temperature, precipitation, and derived score for Norfolk comes from its primary NOAA station record. No figure on this page is typed in by an editor - each value is rendered from NOAA 1991-2020 U.S. Climate Normals. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 1991–2020 normals.