Virginia Climate – July 2026 Update
Top 5 Cities: Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Richmond, and Newport News
Summary
July brought notable warmth to Virginia alongside a sharp rise in fire activity. The state recorded its 12th warmest July since records began in 1950, with mean temperatures reaching 25.22°C. All of Virginia's 10 wildfires this year have happened in the past month, tracked on our live map at Extreme Weather tracker. Despite isolated thunderstorms, an ongoing drought has strained groundwater supplies across the Commonwealth, while drifting smoke from Canadian fires triggered air quality alerts. Globally, land temperatures for the month were the 3rd highest on record, with above-normal warmth projected to persist across the region over the coming months.
This month in numbers
In July 2026, Virginia recorded an average temperature of 25.22°C, standing +1.7°C above the 1961–1990 baseline to rank as the 12th warmest such month in 77 years of records. Maximum temperatures averaged 30.78°C (+1.2°C anomaly), while minimum night-time temperatures reached 19.72°C (+2.3°C anomaly). Total precipitation reached 125.98 mm (+18.1 mm anomaly), ranking as the 25th wettest July on record. Worldwide, global land temperatures reached 15.8°C (+1.6°C anomaly), marking the 3rd warmest July on record.
What changed
Over the May–July 2026 period, Virginia recorded an average temperature of 21.67°C (+1.0°C anomaly), ranking as the 17th warmest such three-month stretch on record, with maximum temperatures averaging 27.98°C (18th warmest). Globally, land temperatures over the same three-month span reached 14.34°C (+1.5°C anomaly), ranking as the 2nd warmest May–July globally. Across the United States, July temperatures ran +1.5°C above average, placing Virginia's +1.7°C anomaly slightly above the national trend. Within the Southeast US climate region group at US Southeast, Virginia recorded the 2nd highest monthly temperature anomaly among its six member states.
What’s driving change?
The elevated summer temperatures across Virginia were reinforced by that trapped warm air masses over the eastern United States. Long-standing rainfall deficits across much of the Commonwealth also triggered , as parched soils lost their capacity to cool the surrounding air through evaporation, driving up daytime maximums and night-time minimums alike. These persistent dry conditions intensified groundwater shortages and contributed to elevated fire activity across rural terrain.
Looking ahead
Seasonal outlooks for the coming months suggest that temperatures across Virginia and the broader Mid-Atlantic are likely to remain above normal through late summer and into autumn.
Generated by Gemini from climate data and web sources
At a Glance
Temperature – Average
Climate Map – USUnited States
Source: NOAA Climate at a Glance — US states & climate regions (tavg, pcp), plus GPCC (Snow, water-equivalent). Anomalies are vs the 1961–1990 baseline. See methodology.
Typical Climate – Virginia
Köppen Cfa · TemperateVirginia has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfa: Humid subtropical), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 25.0°C, while January is the coldest at 2.3°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1206mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Monthly climate normals (2016–2025) - bar colour and height show average temperature, the shaded area shows average monthly rain, with snow (water-equivalent) shown separately.
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Long-Term Trends
Combined Timeline – Virginia
Precipitation, Sunshine, Frost and Snow are converted to standard deviations from their own average so they can share an axis with Temperature.
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Heatwave Days – Virginia
Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - days in a 6+ day run above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that time of year.
Data: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (ERA5-derived). Refreshed roughly 1-2x/year, ~7-8 months behind present.
Year-on-Year Trends
The 4byo Climate Helix – Virginia
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Monthly Temperature – Virginia
Background lines show the last 40 years (plus the record year and its opposite, wherever they fall).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Records – Virginia
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)) - Anomalies vs 1901-2000 mean
Shifting Seasons
Warm / cold seasonsKöppen Cfa · TemperateHow spring and autumn have shifted in Virginia. Spring is defined as the date monthly temperatures first rise above the long-term annual mean (12.5°C, from 1950–1979); autumn is the date they fall back below it. Temperature swings 22.3°C peak-to-peak across the year - a classic four-seasons rhythm.
Baseline vs recent monthly temperature climatology. Biggest warming: Feb (+3.3°C).
Data: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (temperature/precipitation; frost: World Bank CCKP; snow: GPCC (DWD)).
Emissions & Energy
Explore
Explore Climate Data
Data Sources
Data Sources for Virginia
Every figure on this page is sourced from official, openly published climate datasets. Anomalies are calculated against the 1961–1990 baseline (temperature) and 1991–2020 (rainfall, sunshine, frost) - see the Methodology & Sources page for the complete dataset list and update calendar.
Statewide monthly temperature and precipitation (nClimDiv).
Frost Days and Heatwave Days (Warm Spell Duration Index), ERA5-derived. World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal.
Monthly snow water-equivalent, Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (DWD).
FAQs
FAQs
How is the climate in Virginia changing?
Virginia is warming in line with the rest of the world. The page above shows the latest monthly temperature anomaly versus the 1961-1990 baseline, the long-term annual trend, and the region's rank in the historical record. The headline panel also shows the long-term trend rate per decade and the warmest and coolest years on file.
What is the climate like in Virginia?
Virginia has a temperate climate (Köppen Cfa: Humid subtropical), with distinct warm summers and cool-to-cold winters. July is typically the warmest month, averaging 25.0°C, while January is the coldest at 2.3°C. Annual precipitation averages around 1206mm, spread fairly evenly across the year.
Where does the climate data for Virginia come from?
Climate data for Virginia comes from NOAA Climate at a Glance (temperature and precipitation), refreshed every month, when the upstream temperature and rainfall data are refreshed.
What is the climate baseline used on this page?
Anomalies on this page are calculated against the 1961-1990 climatological baseline, which is the standard reference period used by the Met Office, NOAA, IPCC and most national climate services. Some panels also show the source-native 1901-2000 (NOAA) or 1991-2020 (WMO) baselines for verification. See Methodology & Sources for the full reference.
Which areas does the Virginia climate data cover?
The Virginia climate profile covers Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Richmond and surrounding areas. Virginia climate data from NOAA Climate at a Glance
How often is the Virginia climate update refreshed?
The Virginia climate update is refreshed monthly, typically a few days after the previous month closes and the upstream provider (Met Office HadUK-Grid, NOAA Climate at a Glance, Copernicus ERA5 or the Global Carbon Project) publishes its update. See the Climate Rankings for cross-region comparisons.
What counts as a Heatwave Day on the Virginia climate page?
Heatwave Days use the Warm Spell Duration Index (WSDI) - the WMO/ETCCDI-standard heatwave measure: days that are part of a run of 6 or more consecutive days above the local 90th-percentile temperature for that calendar day. The 90th-percentile threshold varies by time of year (a hot day in January is judged differently to one in July) but is fixed to the 1961-1990 baseline for every year shown - it does not shift as the climate warms, which is why Heatwave Days trend upward over time.
Does the Virginia climate page include frost and snow data?
Yes. Frost Days (days with a minimum temperature below 0°C, World Bank CCKP) and snow water-equivalent (GPCC) are shown alongside temperature and precipitation, each measured against the 1961-1990 baseline where a like-for-like historical comparison is available.