Chester, VA climate
Chester has mild winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 90°, a January night drops to 28°, and about 10 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Chester feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Chester 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 | 49° | 28° | 3.5" | 4.1" | 11 | 33° – 45° |
| February | 53° | 30° | 2.8" | 2.5" | 9 | 31° – 49° |
| March | 61° | 37° | 4.0" | 0.9" | 11 | 43° – 58° |
| April | 71° | 46° | 3.5" | 0 | 10 | 54° – 64° |
| May | 78° | 55° | 4.2" | 0 | 12 | 62° – 73° |
| June | 86° | 64° | 4.4" | 0 | 10 | 71° – 80° |
| July | 90° | 69° | 4.7" | 0 | 11 | 75° – 82° |
| August | 88° | 67° | 4.7" | 0 | 10 | 73° – 80° |
| September | 81° | 61° | 4.7" | 0 | 9 | 68° – 76° |
| October | 71° | 48° | 3.6" | 0 | 9 | 56° – 66° |
| November | 61° | 38° | 3.2" | 0 | 9 | 44° – 55° |
| December | 52° | 32° | 3.7" | 2.3" | 11 | 32° – 52° |
| Year | 70° | 48° | 46.9" | 9.8" | 121 |
“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 Chester
Chester gets 47 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 121 days a year.
About 216 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 3 and the first one by November 3. That leaves about 216 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 81% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Chester
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Chester, 71% of that work is heating and 29% 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.
Chester and its neighbors
Chester borders 1 town with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.1°. Bellwood has both the coldest January nights (29°) and the hottest July afternoons (90°). Chester’s January low is 28° and its July high 90°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Chester 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 Chester averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.2°). The shift is smaller than in 69% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Chester’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 52°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Chester’s climate
What is the coldest month in Chester?
January, with a typical high of 49° and a low of 28°.
What is the hottest month in Chester?
July, with a typical high of 90° and a low of 69°. About 43 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Chester get?
About 10 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Chester?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 3, and the last spring frost by April 3.
What is the rainiest month in Chester?
July, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 47 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Chester itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Winterpock, VA (12 mi, snow) and Petersburg, VA (8 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.