What Norfolk Weather Is Really Like
Is it going to rain, flood, or maybe something worse? The summers are like a sauna on Granby and the winters gentle, until a nor'easter growls. Here's what else is going on around Norfolk 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 Norfolk?
The forecast, the fashion, and the fine print locals wish someone had told them sooner.
Summer temps be like
Sweet tea sauna season (upper 80s to 90s, heat index rude)
Winter lows are
Coastal chill with manners (low 30s to 40s, rare ice cameo)
The humidity makes me
frizz faster than instant ramen
Unique weather patterns
Sneaky nor easters, tropical storm flirtations, king tide puddles in your parking spot, summer pop up boomers at 3 p.m., sea breeze that lies to you by lunch, the threat of snow closes everything, spring pollin clouds
Local weather fashion tip
Hooded raincoat and waterproof shoes, the wind turns umbrellas into modern art, stash a breathable layer and a towel for surprise squalls, shoveling snow with a dust pan
You know it's time to get out of town when
the third named storm eyes the Bay and the tunnels start acting allergic to wind, locals aim west for mountain breezes
Bugs be like
mosquito air force, salt marsh no see ums, mayflies in polite swarms, cicadas on megaphones, roaches questioning your lease, dragonflies galore on a hot summer day
You're stuck indoors again today because
a nor easter slaps sideways rain, tidal flooding turns Ghent into a reflection pool, bridge tunnel wind advisories say nope, the heat index is 115 and you can't see through the humidity
Green thumb enthusiasts love
long seasons for crepe myrtles, azaleas that explode in April, hydrangeas as big as beach balls, figs ripen before Labor Day, rain barrel paradise with salty tolerant natives
My Favorite Season in Norfolk
Summer is my favorite season in Norfolk. A perfect day is sitting in your beach chair at the edge of the water. There is nothing better than keeping cool, reading a book, and listening to the waves on a hot and humid summer day. You may even be lucky enough to find some shells and sea glass.
— Laura Gray
Virginia Local Expert
Ready to See If Norfolk Fits You?
Compare cities, check the routes, or head back to the full Norfolk guide for the bigger picture.