Wise, VA climate
Wise has chilly, snowy winters and pleasant summers, with plenty of rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 80°, a January night drops to 24°, and about 47 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Wise feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Wise 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 | 41° | 24° | 3.9" | 12.8" | 15 | 7 | 25° – 40° |
| February | 45° | 26° | 4.2" | 11.6" | 15 | 6 | 25° – 43° |
| March | 54° | 33° | 4.6" | 8.6" | 15 | 3 | 36° – 54° |
| April | 64° | 42° | 4.4" | 1.7" | 13 | 0 | 47° – 58° |
| May | 71° | 51° | 4.8" | 0 | 15 | 0 | 55° – 67° |
| June | 77° | 58° | 4.7" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 64° – 71° |
| July | 80° | 62° | 5.4" | 0 | 16 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| August | 79° | 61° | 3.9" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 67° – 74° |
| September | 75° | 55° | 3.6" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 61° – 70° |
| October | 65° | 44° | 2.9" | 0.9" | 11 | 0 | 51° – 60° |
| November | 54° | 34° | 3.3" | 1.9" | 11 | 0 | 38° – 50° |
| December | 45° | 27° | 4.5" | 9.6" | 15 | 5 | 25° – 47° |
| Year | 63° | 43° | 50.1" | 47.1" | 162 | 20 |
“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 Wise
Wise gets 50 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 162 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 20 days of the year.
About 175 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 25 and the first one by October 18. That leaves about 175 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 54% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Wise
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Wise, 89% of that work is heating and 11% 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 Wise 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 Wise averaged 0.6° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+1.6°). The shift is smaller than in 95% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Wise’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 25° to 47°. June is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Wise’s climate
What is the coldest month in Wise?
January, with a typical high of 41° and a low of 24°.
What is the hottest month in Wise?
July, with a typical high of 80° and a low of 62°. About 1 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Wise get?
About 47 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Wise?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 18, and the last spring frost by April 25.
What is the rainiest month in Wise?
July, with 5.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 50 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Wise itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Wise 1se, VA (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.