Difficult Run, VA climate
Difficult Run has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 26°, and about 21 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Difficult Run feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Difficult Run 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 | 43° | 26° | 3.0" | 6.9" | 10 | 4 | 26° – 41° |
| February | 46° | 27° | 2.6" | 7.0" | 9 | 5 | 26° – 44° |
| March | 55° | 34° | 3.6" | 3.9" | 11 | 2 | 38° – 54° |
| April | 66° | 44° | 3.4" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 51° – 60° |
| May | 74° | 53° | 4.3" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| June | 83° | 62° | 4.2" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| July | 87° | 67° | 4.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 72° – 80° |
| August | 85° | 65° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 70° – 79° |
| September | 78° | 58° | 4.2" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 65° – 72° |
| October | 67° | 47° | 3.7" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 53° – 63° |
| November | 56° | 37° | 3.1" | 0.3" | 9 | 0 | 40° – 52° |
| December | 46° | 30° | 3.5" | 2.8" | 10 | 2 | 29° – 49° |
| Year | 65° | 46° | 43.3" | 21.0" | 121 | 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 Difficult Run
Difficult Run gets 43 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. Snow covers the ground about 14 days of the year.
About 194 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 15 and the first one by October 24. That leaves about 194 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 68% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Difficult Run
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Difficult Run, 79% of that work is heating and 21% 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.
Difficult Run and its neighbors
Difficult Run borders 6 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.3°. Franklin Farm has the coldest January nights (26°) and Oakton the hottest July afternoons (87°). Difficult Run’s January low is 26° and its July high 87°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Difficult Run 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 Difficult Run averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.9°). The shift is larger than in 84% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Difficult Run’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°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Difficult Run’s climate
What is the coldest month in Difficult Run?
January, with a typical high of 43° and a low of 26°.
What is the hottest month in Difficult Run?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 67°. About 33 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Difficult Run get?
About 21 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Difficult Run?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 24, and the last spring frost by April 15.
What is the rainiest month in Difficult Run?
July, with 4.3 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 43 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Difficult Run itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Washington Dc Dulles Airport, VA (7 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.