Blue Ridge, VA climate
Blue Ridge has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 26°, and about 11 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Blue Ridge feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Blue Ridge 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° | 26° | 3.4" | 2.8" | 9 | 3 | 28° – 42° |
| February | 48° | 29° | 2.9" | 4.8" | 9 | 4 | 29° – 46° |
| March | 57° | 35° | 3.8" | 1.0" | 11 | 1 | 39° – 55° |
| April | 67° | 44° | 3.7" | 0.1" | 12 | 0 | 51° – 60° |
| May | 75° | 53° | 4.4" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 58° – 70° |
| June | 81° | 60° | 4.6" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| July | 85° | 64° | 4.5" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 71° – 78° |
| August | 83° | 64° | 3.6" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 70° – 79° |
| September | 77° | 57° | 4.1" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 63° – 72° |
| October | 67° | 46° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 53° – 61° |
| November | 56° | 36° | 3.2" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 40° – 52° |
| December | 47° | 29° | 3.6" | 2.7" | 10 | 2 | 29° – 47° |
| Year | 66° | 45° | 45.1" | 11.4" | 129 | 9 |
“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 Blue Ridge
Blue Ridge gets 45 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 129 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 9 days of the year.
About 198 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 11 and the first one by October 28. That leaves about 198 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 71% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Blue Ridge
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Blue Ridge, 81% of that work is heating and 19% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
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.
How Blue Ridge 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 Blue Ridge averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.7°). The shift is smaller than in 77% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Blue Ridge’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 29° to 47°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Blue Ridge’s climate
What is the coldest month in Blue Ridge?
January, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 26°.
What is the hottest month in Blue Ridge?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 64°. About 28 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Blue Ridge get?
About 11 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Blue Ridge?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 28, and the last spring frost by April 11.
What is the rainiest month in Blue Ridge?
June, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 45 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Blue Ridge itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Roanoke 8 N, VA (8 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.