Lake Monticello, VA climate
Lake Monticello has chilly winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 26°, and about 12 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Lake Monticello feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Lake Monticello 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 | 47° | 26° | 3.1" | 3.7" | 9 | 2 | 30° – 43° |
| February | 51° | 28° | 2.7" | 4.7" | 9 | 3 | 30° – 48° |
| March | 59° | 34° | 3.8" | 1.8" | 10 | 1 | 41° – 57° |
| April | 70° | 44° | 3.4" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 52° – 62° |
| May | 77° | 53° | 4.3" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 61° – 71° |
| June | 85° | 62° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 69° – 77° |
| July | 88° | 66° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 73° – 81° |
| August | 87° | 65° | 3.8" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 72° – 78° |
| September | 80° | 58° | 4.5" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 65° – 74° |
| October | 70° | 46° | 3.7" | 0 | 7 | 0 | 54° – 63° |
| November | 59° | 36° | 3.4" | 0.1" | 8 | 0 | 42° – 53° |
| December | 50° | 29° | 3.5" | 2.0" | 9 | 1 | 30° – 50° |
| Year | 68° | 46° | 44.6" | 12.3" | 110 | 8 |
“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 Lake Monticello
Lake Monticello gets 45 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 110 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 8 days of the year.
About 180 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 23 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 Lake Monticello
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Lake Monticello, 81% of that work is heating and 19% 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 Lake Monticello 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 Lake Monticello 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 Lake Monticello’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 30° to 50°. August is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Lake Monticello’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lake Monticello?
January, with a typical high of 47° and a low of 26°.
What is the hottest month in Lake Monticello?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 66°. About 26 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lake Monticello get?
About 12 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Lake Monticello?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 21, and the last spring frost by April 23.
What is the rainiest month in Lake Monticello?
September, with 4.5 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 45 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lake Monticello itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Palmyra 3s, VA (8 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.