Climate Comfort Score
73/100
Good
NOAA 1991–2020 normals 56°F annual avg Public-domain federal data
Washington DC Dulles, VA Climate
Explore average temperature, rainfall, and comfort score sourced from NOAA NCEI's 1991–2020 climate normals →
- 56°F
- Avg annual temp
- 73/100
- Comfort score
- 43.2"
- Annual precip
- 192d
- Growing season
30-year climate normals from 1 weather station (1991-2020).
The climate verdict for Washington DC Dulles
Washington DC Dulles, Virginia averages 56°F a year and scores 73/100 on the comfort index - good, milder than 68% of U.S. cities.
- 56°F
- annual average temperature (NOAA normal)
- 73/100
- comfort score, milder than 68% of U.S. cities
- 43.2"
- annual precipitation · 21" snow
- 192 days
- frost-free days per growing season
Based on NOAA U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020) - 30-year averages describing the typical year, not a forecast.
Avg Temperature
56°F (13°C)
Avg High
66°F
Avg Low
45°F
Annual Precip
43.2"
Annual Snow
21.0"
Comfort Score
73/100
Good
Avg Annual Temperature
56°F
30-year mean (NOAA NCEI)
Annual Precipitation
43.2"
Plus 21.0" of snow
Comfort score vs national 100-point ceiling (Washington DC Dulles) 73.0%
National median (63)
PlainClimate composite, temperature mildness, humidity, precipitation, extreme-weather frequency. Good for the Washington DC Dulles area.
How Washington DC Dulles compares to every U.S. city
Washington DC Dulles's comfort score vs. all U.S. cities
PlainClimate composite comfort index (1–100), NOAA 1991–2020 normals
73 Top 32% higher than 68% 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 Washington DC Dulles
MethodologyWashington DC Dulles's NOAA 1991-2020 normal sits inside a longer story: U.S. land temperatures have been tracking (and drifting from) the global mean since 1900, and the chart below shows that spread, with the most recent decade running 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 | 43°F (6°C) | 25°F (-4°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 2.9" | 6.9" | 24.3 | 0.0 |
| February | 46°F (8°C) | 27°F (-3°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 2.6" | 7.0" | 21.1 | 0.0 |
| March | 55°F (13°C) | 34°F (1°C) | 44°F (7°C) | 3.5" | 3.9" | 15.2 | 0.0 |
| April | 67°F (19°C) | 43°F (6°C) | 55°F (13°C) | 3.5" | 0.1" | 3.7 | 0.4 |
| May | 75°F (24°C) | 53°F (12°C) | 64°F (18°C) | 4.7" | 0.0" | 0.2 | 1.4 |
| June | 83°F (28°C) | 62°F (17°C) | 73°F (23°C) | 4.3" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 5.7 |
| July | 88°F (31°C) | 67°F (19°C) | 77°F (25°C) | 4.2" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 12.5 |
| August | 86°F (30°C) | 65°F (18°C) | 76°F (24°C) | 3.5" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 9.3 |
| September | 79°F (26°C) | 58°F (14°C) | 69°F (20°C) | 3.9" | 0.0" | 0.0 | 3.1 |
| October | 68°F (20°C) | 45°F (7°C) | 57°F (14°C) | 3.6" | 0.0" | 2.4 | 0.2 |
| November | 57°F (14°C) | 36°F (2°C) | 46°F (8°C) | 3.1" | 0.3" | 12.9 | 0.0 |
| December | 47°F (8°C) | 29°F (-2°C) | 38°F (3°C) | 3.3" | 2.8" | 21.8 | 0.0 |
Monthly Precipitation
Average monthly rainfall and snowfall
January 2.9"
Snow: 6.9"
10.3 days with precipitation
February 2.6"
Snow: 7.0"
9.1 days with precipitation
March 3.5"
Snow: 3.9"
11.0 days with precipitation
April 3.5"
Snow: 0.1"
11.0 days with precipitation
May 4.7"
12.7 days with precipitation
June 4.3"
10.8 days with precipitation
July 4.2"
11.0 days with precipitation
August 3.5"
9.3 days with precipitation
September 3.9"
9.0 days with precipitation
October 3.6"
8.1 days with precipitation
November 3.1"
Snow: 0.3"
8.6 days with precipitation
December 3.3"
Snow: 2.8"
10.2 days with precipitation
Frost Dates & Growing Season
First Fall Freeze
October 24
50% probability date
Last Spring Freeze
April 15
50% probability date
Growing Season
192 days
Heating & Cooling Degree Days
Annual totals indicate energy demand for heating and cooling
Heating Degree Days
4,604
Higher = more heating needed
Cooling Degree Days
1,233
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 | 61% | 7.6 | 20% | 36% |
| February | 60% | 8.7 | 18% | 39% |
| March | 57% | 8.6 | 18% | 36% |
| April | 62% | 7.4 | 16% | 33% |
| May | 69% | 6.4 | 16% | 30% |
| June | 69% | 5.8 | 15% | 22% |
| July | 70% | 5.6 | 17% | 24% |
| August | 71% | 5.6 | 19% | 23% |
| September | 73% | 6.0 | 24% | 27% |
| October | 67% | 6.6 | 25% | 30% |
| November | 66% | 7.0 | 21% | 34% |
| December | 65% | 7.4 | 19% | 37% |
What Washington DC Dulles's climate means for you
Washington DC Dulles runs 56°F a year - peaking in July, coldest in January.
- Gardeners get about 192 frost-free days, with the last spring freeze near April 15 - plan the planting calendar around it, not the regional average.
- Energy bills track 4,604 heating and 1,233 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: Washington DC Dulles, VA
Washington DC Dulles, Virginia runs an annual average of 56°F, ranging from a mean daily high of 66°F to a mean daily low of 45°F, per NOAA's 1991–2020 climate normals. July is typically the warmest month of the year, while January is the coldest. Drawn from station USW00093738, these thirty-year averages smooth out year-to-year swings into a baseline for what a typical month looks like here.
Washington DC Dulles averages 43.2 inches of precipitation a year, with 21.0 inches typically falling as snow, and that matters as much to daily life here as temperature does. The frost-free season averages 192 days, which directly shapes the planting calendar and growing potential for the area, with the last spring freeze near April 15 and the first fall freeze near October 24. As for energy demand, 4,604 heating degree days and 1,233 cooling degree days tell the story of how often furnaces and air conditioners run during a normal year.
On PlainClimate's composite comfort index, Washington DC Dulles scores 73/100 (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.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average temperature in Washington DC Dulles, VA? ▼
The average annual temperature in Washington DC Dulles, Virginia is 56°F. The warmest month averages 88°F (31°C) and the coldest averages 25°F (-4°C).
How much rain does Washington DC Dulles get? ▼
Washington DC Dulles receives 43.2 inches of precipitation annually, including 21.0 inches of snow. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991-2020).
What is the comfort score for Washington DC Dulles? ▼
Washington DC Dulles has a climate comfort score of 73/100 (Good), milder than 68% of U.S. cities in the PlainClimate database.
When is the growing season in Washington DC Dulles? ▼
Washington DC Dulles has approximately 192 frost-free days per year, with the last spring freeze around April 15 and the first fall freeze around October 24.
How much energy does heating and cooling require in Washington DC Dulles? ▼
Washington DC Dulles has 4,604 heating degree days and 1,233 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 Washington DC Dulles climate data come from? ▼
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020), from weather station USW00093738 near Washington DC Dulles.
Data Sources
Data source: NOAA U.S. Climate Normals v1.0.1 (1991-2020). Station: USW00093738. 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.