Fancy Gap, VA climate
Fancy Gap has chilly winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 17 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Fancy Gap feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Fancy Gap 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 | 42° | 24° | 4.2" | 4.6" | 10 | 5 | 26° – 39° |
| February | 45° | 26° | 3.4" | 5.8" | 8 | 6 | 27° – 42° |
| March | 53° | 32° | 4.5" | 3.4" | 9 | 2 | 36° – 51° |
| April | 63° | 40° | 4.8" | 0.5" | 10 | 0 | 47° – 56° |
| May | 71° | 49° | 5.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 54° – 65° |
| June | 76° | 57° | 5.2" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 63° – 71° |
| July | 80° | 61° | 5.0" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 67° – 73° |
| August | 78° | 59° | 4.5" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| September | 73° | 53° | 4.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 59° – 69° |
| October | 64° | 43° | 3.9" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 50° – 58° |
| November | 54° | 34° | 3.9" | 0.4" | 8 | 0 | 38° – 49° |
| December | 45° | 27° | 4.2" | 1.9" | 9 | 3 | 27° – 46° |
| Year | 62° | 42° | 53.2" | 16.6" | 117 | 16 |
“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 Fancy Gap
Fancy Gap gets 53 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 117 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 16 days of the year.
About 180 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 22 and the first one by October 21. That leaves about 180 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 53% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Fancy Gap
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Fancy Gap, 90% of that work is heating and 10% 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 Fancy Gap 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 Fancy Gap averaged 1.4° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.5°). The shift is larger than in 64% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Fancy Gap’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 27° to 46°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Fancy Gap’s climate
What is the coldest month in Fancy Gap?
January, with a typical high of 42° and a low of 24°.
What is the hottest month in Fancy Gap?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 61°. About 2 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Fancy Gap get?
About 17 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Fancy Gap?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 21, and the last spring frost by April 22.
What is the rainiest month in Fancy Gap?
June, with 5.2 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 53 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Fancy Gap itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Galax Radio Wbrf, VA (12 mi, snow) and Galax Wtp, VA (12 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.