Riva, MD climate
Riva has mild winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 28°, and about 16 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Riva feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Riva weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 28° | 3.0" | 5.7" | 10 | 4 | 29° – 43° |
| February | 47° | 29° | 2.6" | 6.3" | 9 | 6 | 27° – 45° |
| March | 55° | 36° | 4.0" | 1.7" | 10 | 2 | 40° – 55° |
| April | 66° | 46° | 3.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 52° – 62° |
| May | 75° | 56° | 3.8" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 61° – 71° |
| June | 84° | 65° | 4.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 70° – 79° |
| July | 88° | 70° | 4.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 74° – 82° |
| August | 86° | 69° | 4.4" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 73° – 81° |
| September | 79° | 62° | 4.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 68° – 75° |
| October | 68° | 50° | 3.9" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| November | 57° | 39° | 3.1" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 42° – 53° |
| December | 48° | 32° | 3.7" | 2.2" | 10 | 2 | 32° – 51° |
| Year | 66° | 49° | 45.2" | 15.9" | 111 | 14 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Riva
Riva gets 45 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 111 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 14 days of the year.
About 234 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 27 and the first one by November 13. That leaves about 234 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 87% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Riva
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Riva, 70% of that work is heating and 30% is cooling.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
Riva and its neighbors
Riva borders 2 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.1°. Edgewater has the coldest January nights (28°) and Parole the hottest July afternoons (88°). Riva’s January low is 28° and its July high 88°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Riva compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Riva averaged 1.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.7°). The shift is larger than in 75% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Riva’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 32° to 51°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Riva’s climate
What is the coldest month in Riva?
January, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 28°.
What is the hottest month in Riva?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 70°. About 40 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Riva get?
About 16 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Riva?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 13, and the last spring frost by March 27.
What is the rainiest month in Riva?
September, with 4.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 45 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Riva itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Upper Marlboro 3 Nnw, MD (12 mi, snow) and Annapolis Police Brks, MD (6 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.