Fries has chilly winters and pleasant summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 83°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 17 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Fries at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Fries’s climate
Read from where Fries sits among Virginia’s towns. The page puts what stands out first.
Living with Fries’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
171 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 26 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 14.
About 17" a winter over 5 days with an inch or more, most in February. Snow covers the ground about 16 days a year.
Months averaging under 55° run from October through April. Heating is 90% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 3 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 83°.
The nicest months are May, June, July, August, September and October. 0.6 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Normals are averages. Ice storms, nor’easters, floods and heat waves are on the natural hazards page.
Natural hazards →What a year in Fries feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 171 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 26 and the first by October 14.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
17 inches of snow, 44 of rain and melt
July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 117 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Fries averaged 1.3° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.4°).
A bigger shift than in 53% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Fries compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Virginia.
Fries 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° | 24° | 3.4" | 4.6" | 10 | 5 | 27° – 41° |
| February | 47° | 27° | 2.9" | 5.8" | 8 | 6 | 28° – 44° |
| March | 55° | 32° | 3.8" | 3.4" | 9 | 2 | 37° – 52° |
| April | 65° | 39° | 3.9" | 0.5" | 10 | 0 | 48° – 57° |
| May | 73° | 47° | 4.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 54° – 66° |
| June | 80° | 56° | 4.2" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 64° – 72° |
| July | 83° | 60° | 4.4" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| August | 81° | 59° | 4.1" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 67° – 75° |
| September | 76° | 52° | 3.7" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 60° – 70° |
| October | 66° | 41° | 3.3" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 50° – 58° |
| November | 56° | 31° | 3.0" | 0.4" | 8 | 0 | 38° – 49° |
| December | 47° | 27° | 3.2" | 1.9" | 9 | 3 | 27° – 48° |
| Year | 64° | 41° | 44.2" | 16.6" | 117 | 16 |
Heating and cooling a home in Fries
90% of the work is heating, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 27° to 48°. July is the most reliable, staying within 6°.
Common questions about Fries’s climate
What is the coldest month in Fries?
January, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 24°.
What is the hottest month in Fries?
July, with a typical high of 83° and a low of 60°. About 3 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Fries get?
About 17 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Fries?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 14, and the last spring frost by April 26.
What is the rainiest month in Fries?
July, with 4.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 44 inches.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Fries.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Fries itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Galax Radio Wbrf, VA (5 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.