Lake Wilderness has chilly winters and warm summers
A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 11 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
A year in Lake Wilderness at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What a year in Lake Wilderness feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
11 inches of snow, 44 of rain and melt
September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 113 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
About 207 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 6 and the first by November 1.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
Living with Lake Wilderness’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a driveway, a furnace and a free afternoon.
207 frost-free days. The last frost comes by Apr 6 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 1.
About 11" a winter over 2 days with an inch or more, most in February.
Months averaging under 55° run from November through March. Heating is 76% of the year’s heating-and-cooling load.
About 41 days a year reach 90°, and July afternoons average 88°.
The nicest months are April, May, June, September and October. 2.1 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 →Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Lake Wilderness averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.7°).
A bigger shift than in 72% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
How Lake Wilderness compares
Against every U.S. town on TownTapestry, each counted once, with its place in Virginia.
Lake Wilderness 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 | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 45° | 25° | 3.1" | 3.7" | 9 | 27° – 42° |
| February | 49° | 27° | 2.7" | 5.2" | 7 | 28° – 46° |
| March | 57° | 33° | 3.6" | 0.1" | 9 | 40° – 55° |
| April | 68° | 43° | 3.3" | 0 | 10 | 51° – 61° |
| May | 76° | 52° | 4.2" | 0 | 13 | 60° – 70° |
| June | 84° | 61° | 4.2" | 0 | 11 | 68° – 77° |
| July | 88° | 66° | 4.1" | 0 | 10 | 73° – 82° |
| August | 86° | 64° | 4.0" | 0 | 10 | 70° – 78° |
| September | 79° | 57° | 4.4" | 0 | 8 | 65° – 73° |
| October | 69° | 45° | 3.6" | 0 | 9 | 52° – 63° |
| November | 58° | 35° | 3.3" | 0 | 9 | 40° – 51° |
| December | 48° | 28° | 3.4" | 2.3" | 9 | 30° – 49° |
| Year | 67° | 45° | 43.9" | 11.3" | 113 |
Heating and cooling a home in Lake Wilderness
76% of the work is heating.
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 30° to 49°. August is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Lake Wilderness’s climate
What is the coldest month in Lake Wilderness?
January, with a typical high of 45° and a low of 25°.
What is the hottest month in Lake Wilderness?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 66°. About 41 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Lake Wilderness get?
About 11 inches in a normal winter, most of it in February.
When is the first frost in Lake Wilderness?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 1, and the last spring frost by April 6.
What is the rainiest month in Lake Wilderness?
September, 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 Lake Wilderness.
Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Lake Wilderness itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Fredericksburg Sewage, VA (15 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.