Falls Church, VA climate
Falls Church has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 26°, and about 6 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Falls Church feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Falls Church 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" | 2.9" | 10 | 2 | 27° – 41° |
| February | 46° | 28° | 2.7" | 1.4" | 9 | 2 | 26° – 44° |
| March | 55° | 34° | 3.7" | 0.7" | 12 | 1 | 38° – 54° |
| April | 66° | 44° | 3.4" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 51° – 60° |
| May | 74° | 54° | 4.2" | 0 | 12 | 0 | 59° – 70° |
| June | 83° | 63° | 4.2" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 69° – 77° |
| July | 87° | 68° | 4.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 73° – 81° |
| August | 85° | 66° | 3.6" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 71° – 79° |
| September | 78° | 59° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 66° – 73° |
| October | 67° | 47° | 3.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| November | 56° | 37° | 3.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 41° – 52° |
| December | 47° | 30° | 3.6" | 0.8" | 11 | 1 | 29° – 50° |
| Year | 66° | 46° | 44.2" | 5.8" | 123 | 6 |
“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 Falls Church
Falls Church gets 44 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 123 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 6 days of the year.
About 202 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 9 and the first one by October 31. That leaves about 202 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 73% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Falls Church
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Falls Church, 77% of that work is heating and 23% 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.
Falls Church and its neighbors
Falls Church borders 5 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.5°. McLean has the coldest January nights (26°) and Arlington the hottest July afternoons (88°). Falls Church’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 Falls Church 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 Falls Church averaged 1.7° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.8°). The shift is larger than in 78% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Falls Church’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 50°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Falls Church’s climate
What is the coldest month in Falls Church?
January, with a typical high of 43° and a low of 26°.
What is the hottest month in Falls Church?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 68°. About 44 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Falls Church get?
About 6 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Falls Church?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 31, and the last spring frost by April 9.
What is the rainiest month in Falls Church?
July, with 4.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 44 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Falls Church itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Dalecarlia Rsvr, MD (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.