Richmond, VA Climate & Monthly Averages
The climate of Richmond
A 23°C spread between its warmest and coolest months puts Richmond among the more strongly seasonal places we cover. July averages 90°F (32°C) by day; January averages 47°F (8°C), with nights at 31°F (0°C).
Climate quick facts
- Hottest month: July - highs near 90°F (32°C)
- Coldest month: January - highs near 47°F (8°C)
- Decade extremes (2015-2024): 104°F (40°C) high · -2°F (-19°C) low
- Wettest month: May (12 rainy days) · Sunniest: July (11.7 h sun/day)
- Climate type: humid subtropical
- Annual swing: 23°C between the average warmest and coolest month · day to night: 10°C
- Snow: about 4 days a year
- Months averaging 30°C or hotter: 2
- Average humidity: 69%
Temperatures through the year
Warmth peaks in July: highs of 90°F (32°C), lows of 72°F (22°C). January bottoms out at 47°F (8°C) in daylight, 31°F (0°C) after dark. Three of the twelve months pair mild highs with fewer than twelve wet days; the longest unbroken run is April through May.
Rain, sun and snow
July is the brightest month at 11.7 hours of sun a day, against an annual average of 8.9. Snow falls on roughly 4 days a year, mostly December through March. Between the average July and the average January lie 23°C, a wider spread than roughly 75% of the cities we track. Across the gridded 2015-2024 daily record, the highest daily maximum for this location was 104°F (40°C) and the lowest daily minimum -2°F (-19°C).
How Richmond compares
- 28% of the year's precipitation falls in its wettest three months - more evenly spread than almost every other city we track.
Ranked against every city in our dataset, each measured on the same ten-year window.
Monthly climate table
| Month | High | Low | Rain days | Precipitation | Sunshine | Daylight | Wet-day chance | Humidity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 47° | 31° | 10 | 3.5 in | 6.4 h/day | 9.8 h | 33% | 68% |
| February | 52° | 34° | 10 | 3.7 in | 7.0 h/day | 10.8 h | 35% | 67% |
| March | 60° | 40° | 9 | 3.8 in | 8.1 h/day | 11.9 h | 30% | 64% |
| April | 70° | 49° | 9 | 3.4 in | 9.7 h/day | 13.1 h | 31% | 63% |
| May | 77° | 58° | 12 | 4.2 in | 10.2 h/day | 14.2 h | 38% | 69% |
| June | 86° | 66° | 10 | 4.1 in | 11.5 h/day | 14.7 h | 34% | 67% |
| July | 90° | 72° | 13 | 4.1 in | 11.7 h/day | 14.5 h | 42% | 70% |
| August | 87° | 70° | 12 | 4.1 in | 10.8 h/day | 13.6 h | 38% | 73% |
| September | 82° | 65° | 10 | 3.9 in | 9.0 h/day | 12.4 h | 34% | 73% |
| October | 71° | 53° | 7 | 3.6 in | 8.3 h/day | 11.1 h | 24% | 73% |
| November | 59° | 42° | 7 | 2.9 in | 7.7 h/day | 10.1 h | 24% | 70% |
| December | 52° | 36° | 9 | 3.7 in | 6.3 h/day | 9.6 h | 30% | 72% |
Richmond month by month
Average high and low for each month, with the bar showing where it sits in Richmond's year (left is the coldest night, right is the warmest afternoon).
January
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 6.4 h
- Daylight
- 9.8 h
- Snow
- 2 days
February
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 7.0 h
- Daylight
- 10.8 h
- Snow
- 1 day
March
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 8.1 h
- Daylight
- 11.9 h
April
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 9.7 h
- Daylight
- 13.1 h
May
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.2 h
- Daylight
- 14.2 h
June
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 11.5 h
- Daylight
- 14.7 h
July
- Rain
- 13 days
- Sunshine
- 11.7 h
- Daylight
- 14.5 h
August
- Rain
- 12 days
- Sunshine
- 10.8 h
- Daylight
- 13.6 h
September
- Rain
- 10 days
- Sunshine
- 9.0 h
- Daylight
- 12.4 h
October
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 8.3 h
- Daylight
- 11.1 h
November
- Rain
- 7 days
- Sunshine
- 7.7 h
- Daylight
- 10.1 h
December
- Rain
- 9 days
- Sunshine
- 6.3 h
- Daylight
- 9.6 h
Warmer places to go, by month: January · February · March · April · May · June · July · August · September · October · November · December
Seasons in Richmond
Spring (March through May)
Spring in Richmond is mild and warm, with daytime highs averaging 69°F (20°C) and nights around 49°F (9°C); rain falls on around 30 of the 90 days.
Summer (June through August)
Through summer, Richmond is hot: 88°F (31°C) by day, 69°F (21°C) after dark, and rain falls on around 35 of the 90 days. Daylight is generous - around 11.3 hours of sun a day. With the moisture factored in, afternoons feel hotter than the reading suggests - the humidity and dew point converter shows why.
Fall (September through November)
Fall in Richmond brings comfortable warmth, with daytime highs averaging 71°F (21°C) and nights around 53°F (12°C); expect showers on roughly 25 days across the season.
Winter (December through February)
Winter is chilly here - highs near 50°F (10°C), nights near 34°F (1°C), and expect showers on roughly 29 days across the season, plus about 4 snowy days.
Climate questions, answered
How warm is Richmond on average?
What should I wear in Richmond?
How many hot months does Richmond have?
How humid does Richmond get?
How sunny is Richmond?
Best time to visit Richmond
Aim for March to May and September to November if you get the choice: warm days, manageable rainfall and plenty of daylight line up, and highs average 70°F (21°C) against roughly 9 wet days a month. For the same question asked the other way round, see where else is warm in March.
Pack for Richmond with lightweight, breathable clothing and serious sun protection, a warm jacket and layers for the cooler season and a compact umbrella or rain shell. July nights average 72°F (22°C), so evenings rarely match the afternoons.
Richmond temperature records (2015-2024)
Derived from ERA5 reanalysis data, 2015–2024. Official station records may differ. Need the precipitation in other units? The mm-to-inches rainfall converter handles it.