Chesapeake, VA climate
Chesapeake has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 89°, a January night drops to 31°, and about 6 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Chesapeake feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Chesapeake 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 51° | 31° | 3.6" | 3.2" | 11 | 36° – 47° |
| February | 54° | 33° | 3.0" | 1.5" | 9 | 33° – 51° |
| March | 61° | 39° | 3.9" | 0.4" | 11 | 44° – 58° |
| April | 70° | 47° | 3.5" | 0 | 10 | 54° – 65° |
| May | 78° | 56° | 3.9" | 0 | 11 | 61° – 73° |
| June | 85° | 65° | 4.6" | 0 | 10 | 71° – 80° |
| July | 89° | 70° | 5.5" | 0 | 11 | 75° – 82° |
| August | 87° | 68° | 5.3" | 0 | 10 | 74° – 80° |
| September | 81° | 63° | 5.2" | 0 | 9 | 69° – 78° |
| October | 72° | 51° | 4.0" | 0 | 8 | 58° – 68° |
| November | 62° | 41° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 45° – 56° |
| December | 55° | 35° | 3.4" | 1.1" | 10 | 34° – 56° |
| Year | 70° | 50° | 49.1" | 6.2" | 118 |
“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 Chesapeake
Chesapeake gets 49 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 118 days a year.
About 239 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 23 and the first one by November 16. That leaves about 239 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 88% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Chesapeake
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Chesapeake, 68% of that work is heating and 32% 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.
Chesapeake and its neighbors
Chesapeake borders 4 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 3.5°. Suffolk has both the coldest January nights (30°) and the hottest July afternoons (89°). Chesapeake’s January low is 31° and its July high 89°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Chesapeake 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 Chesapeake averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.4°). The shift is larger than in 61% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Chesapeake’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 34° to 56°. August is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Chesapeake’s climate
What is the coldest month in Chesapeake?
January, with a typical high of 51° and a low of 31°.
What is the hottest month in Chesapeake?
July, with a typical high of 89° and a low of 70°. About 35 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Chesapeake get?
About 6 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Chesapeake?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 16, and the last spring frost by March 23.
What is the rainiest month in Chesapeake?
July, with 5.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 49 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Chesapeake itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Norfolk Intl Airport, VA (17 mi, snow) and Norfolk S, VA (14 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.