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Climate in Norfolk, Virginia: Monthly Weather Averages

By the AverageClimate Editorial Team · Last updated: October 2026

Norfolk sits at 30 feet above sea level, and its climate, as recorded at the Norfolk International Airport, VA station, runs to a yearly mean of 61.6°F. The warmest month is July, averaging 81.1°F with typical highs of 89.4°F; the coldest is January, averaging 42.2°F with lows around 33.6°F. Across a normal year the city receives 49.2 in of precipitation and 6.2 in of snow. The full month-by-month picture below comes from the official 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals — the 30-year averages the National Weather Service itself uses — so it describes the Norfolk climate you should actually plan around, whether you are timing a visit, weighing a move, or just settling an argument about which month is best.

Norfolk climate month by month

The table below is the complete 1991–2020 normals profile for Norfolk: average high, average low and mean temperature, rainfall, and snowfall for every month. Read down the Mean column to feel the year's rhythm — Norfolk's temperature range runs from 42.2°F in January to 81.1°F in July.

How to read the colors:below freezingcoldcoolmildwarmhot. Bands are colored by each cell's own temperature, so a whole year reads at a glance.

Norfolk through the seasons

Winter in Norfolk averages highs of 50.7–54.7°F and lows of 33.6–37.6°F, a seasonal mean of 44.2°F. The three months together bring 9.6 in of precipitation — about 19% of the city's yearly total — with January the wettest of the three at 3.41 in. Snowfall averages 5.8 in over the season, most of it in January (3.2 in). It is a genuinely cold season — heavy coats, freezing nights, and the year's most changeable weather — without being locked below freezing around the clock.

Spring in Norfolk averages highs of 60.1–77.4°F and lows of 41.3–59.1°F, a seasonal mean of 59.7°F. The three months together bring 10.8 in of precipitation — about 22% of the city's yearly total — with May the wettest of the three at 3.78 in. Snowfall averages 0.4 in over the season, most of it in March (0.4 in). The season is a transition: the average temperature climbs 17.6°F from March to May, and by late spring Norfolk is firmly into warm territory, with May rainfall of 3.78 in to plan around.

Summer in Norfolk averages highs of 85.2–89.4°F and lows of 68.1–72.8°F, a seasonal mean of 79.0°F. The three months together bring 16.4 in of precipitation — about 33% of the city's yearly total — with July the wettest of the three at 6.08 in. It is a warm, usable summer: afternoons are hot enough for swimming and lake or coast time, while evenings usually cool off comfortably. It is also the storm season: July alone averages 6.08 in of rain, much of it in heavy downpours.

Fall in Norfolk averages highs of 62.1–81.4°F and lows of 44.4–66.6°F, a seasonal mean of 63.7°F. The three months together bring 12.4 in of precipitation — about 25% of the city's yearly total — with September the wettest of the three at 5.40 in. Temperatures ease off through the season — the monthly mean drops 20.7°F from September to November — and fall is when Norfolk's weather turns cooler and wetter, while nights stay mostly frost-free into December.

Best and worst months to visit Norfolk

Ranking every month by its normals — mild mean temperatures score best, heavy rain and snow count against — the most comfortable months to visit Norfolk are:

MayJuneSeptember

May leads the list: average highs of 77.4°F, lows of 59.1°F, and 3.78 in of rain, with snow a non-factor at 0.0 in. The other picks, June and September, offer the same balance in Norfolk's shoulder seasons. At the other end, January is usually the month to avoid — the least comfortable mix of temperature and rainfall, with a mean temperature of 42.2°F and 3.41 in of precipitation plus 3.2 in of snow.

How Norfolk compares

Across the 114 cities in our dataset, the typical city averages 57.8°F for the year and 35.7 in of precipitation. Norfolk runs 3.8°F warmer than that typical city and wetter by 13.5 in a year, ranking #37 of 114 for annual warmth and #23 of 114 for precipitation (wettest first). Its year-round temperature swing — warmest month minus coldest — is 38.9°F, which puts it in the moderate, clearly seasonal camp.

Planning notes for Norfolk

For anyone relocating: average lows never drop below freezing in any month, so hard freezes are events, not seasons; highs reach the 80s on average in 4 months, but 90°F average highs never arrive; 6 months of the year average between 55°F and 80°F, the band most people find comfortable without heating or cooling. Those four facts, all straight from the normals table above, shape everything from a Norfolk wardrobe to its utility bills.

Norfolk climate FAQ

Source: 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals, NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) — ncei.noaa.gov. Station: Norfolk International Airport, VA (USW00013737), elevation 30 ft. Figures checked October 2026.