Dunbar, WV climate
Dunbar has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 87°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 32 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Dunbar feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Dunbar 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° | 25° | 3.2" | 10.3" | 15 | 7 | 27° – 43° |
| February | 48° | 28° | 3.2" | 7.7" | 14 | 5 | 26° – 46° |
| March | 57° | 34° | 4.1" | 5.9" | 15 | 3 | 40° – 57° |
| April | 70° | 43° | 3.7" | 0.5" | 13 | 0 | 50° – 62° |
| May | 77° | 53° | 4.9" | 0 | 14 | 0 | 59° – 72° |
| June | 84° | 61° | 4.5" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 68° – 76° |
| July | 87° | 65° | 5.1" | 0 | 13 | 0 | 72° – 80° |
| August | 86° | 64° | 3.8" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 71° – 80° |
| September | 81° | 57° | 3.5" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 65° – 75° |
| October | 70° | 45° | 3.0" | 0.6" | 10 | 0 | 54° – 63° |
| November | 58° | 35° | 3.0" | 1.5" | 11 | 1 | 40° – 51° |
| December | 48° | 29° | 3.7" | 5.0" | 14 | 3 | 28° – 49° |
| Year | 67° | 45° | 45.6" | 31.5" | 151 | 19 |
“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 Dunbar
Dunbar gets 46 inches of rain and melted snow a year. July is the wettest month and October the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 151 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 19 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 20. That leaves about 180 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 53% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Dunbar
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Dunbar, 83% of that work is heating and 17% 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.
Dunbar and its neighbors
Dunbar borders 3 towns with climate data. January nights across them vary by 0.2°. Charleston has the coldest January nights (25°) and South Charleston the hottest July afternoons (87°). Dunbar’s January low is 25° and its July high 87°.
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value.
How Dunbar 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 Dunbar averaged 1.0° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in April (+1.9°). The shift is smaller than in 70% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Dunbar’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 28° to 49°. June is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Common questions about Dunbar’s climate
What is the coldest month in Dunbar?
January, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 25°.
What is the hottest month in Dunbar?
July, with a typical high of 87° and a low of 65°. About 23 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Dunbar get?
About 32 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Dunbar?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by October 20, and the last spring frost by April 23.
What is the rainiest month in Dunbar?
July, with 5.1 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 46 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Dunbar itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Charleston Yeager Airport, WV (8 mi, snow) and Charleston Wfo, WV (4 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.