Culpeper, VA climate
Culpeper has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 16 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Culpeper feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Culpeper 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° | 25° | 3.0" | 4.6" | 9 | 4 | 27° – 42° |
| February | 48° | 27° | 2.6" | 5.6" | 8 | 5 | 28° – 46° |
| March | 57° | 33° | 3.5" | 2.7" | 10 | 2 | 39° – 55° |
| April | 68° | 43° | 3.5" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| May | 76° | 52° | 4.3" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 60° – 70° |
| June | 84° | 61° | 4.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| July | 88° | 66° | 4.2" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 72° – 80° |
| August | 86° | 64° | 3.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 71° – 78° |
| September | 79° | 57° | 4.6" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 65° – 73° |
| October | 68° | 45° | 3.6" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 53° – 63° |
| November | 58° | 35° | 3.3" | 0.2" | 8 | 0 | 41° – 51° |
| December | 48° | 29° | 3.3" | 3.2" | 8 | 3 | 29° – 49° |
| Year | 67° | 45° | 44.5" | 16.4" | 111 | 13 |
“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 Culpeper
Culpeper gets 44 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 111 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 13 days of the year.
About 184 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 21 and the first one by October 22. That leaves about 184 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 57% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Culpeper
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Culpeper, 84% of that work is heating and 16% 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 Culpeper 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 Culpeper averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+3.0°). The shift is larger than in 71% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Culpeper’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 49°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Culpeper’s climate
What is the coldest month in Culpeper?
January, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 25°.
What is the hottest month in Culpeper?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 66°. About 22 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Culpeper get?
About 16 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Culpeper?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 22, and the last spring frost by April 21.
What is the rainiest month in Culpeper?
June, with 4.7 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 44 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Culpeper itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Piedmont Rsch Stn, VA (18 mi, snow) and Boston 4 Se, VA (7 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.