Richmond Weather: Humid summers, mild winters and fall color
Is it going to swelter, flood, or maybe something worse? The summers are like Monument Avenue in August and the winters couldn't commit if they tried. Here's what else is going on around Richmond that will impact the time you spend outside.
Laura, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Laura arrived in Virginia in 1988 with a teaching job, a love of sunshine, and zero idea she’d still be here decades later—now basically an honorary ambassador for the state. She’s tracked down over 800 of Virginia’s iconic LOVE signs, a feat that probably deserves its own license plate. When she’s not at the beach or debating which El Azteca location does the best Nacho Fajitas, she’s editing Snappy Scout’s Virginia guides, helping readers discover the local quirks and hidden gems she’s been living (and loving) for years.
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
What's the Weather Really Like in Richmond?
The forecast, the fashion, and the fine print locals wish someone had told them sooner.
Summer temps be like
Surface of the sun cosplay (mid to upper 90s) with 75% humidity
Winter lows are
Shockingly reasonable sweater weather (upper 20s to low 30s), with an average of 10 inches of snow.
The humidity makes me
Question why I own a hairdryer
Unique weather patterns
Four seasons in one week is totally normal here. Also, we're far enough inland that hurricanes arrive tired and downgraded to tropical depression status, which means you get the drama of hurricane prep at the grocery store but usually just end up with a breezy rain day and 47 cans of beans you don't need.
Local weather fashion tip
Layer like your life depends on it because morning and afternoon are different climate zones
You know it's time to get out of town when
It's August and the pavement could legitimately fry an egg, so everyone flees to the mountains or Virginia Beach. If you can't head to the James. or the VMFA.
Bugs be like
Mosquitos treat you like an all you can eat buffet from May through September, and they're bringing their extended family
You're stuck indoors again today because
The heat index hit 105 and your car's steering wheel is literally too hot to touch without oven mitts
Green thumb enthusiasts love
The ridiculously long growing season that lets you have tomatoes until October and start seeds by March. Zone 7a is basically gardener's paradise if you can handle the mood swings between frost and flip flops. No garden, then head to Lewis Ginter.
My Favorite Season in Richmond
During the fall, Richmond comes to life from mid-October through early November when the leaves turn red, yellow, and orange. During this time, a walk through Byrd Park and along Buttermilk Trail or a drive down River Road will leave your mouth hanging open.
— Laura Gray
Virginia Local Expert
Ready to See If Richmond Fits You?
Compare cities, check the routes, or head back to the full Richmond guide for the bigger picture.