Richmond local weather

Richmond's Virginia location, situated between the Chesapeake Bay and the Blue Ridge Mountains produces a temperate climate that is lower in humidity than its eastern neighbors of Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Winters are generally mild with occasional snows intermixed with sunny spring-like days, spring and fall tend to linger with their own bursts of color. There are just enough seasonal differences, that local residents appreciate each season and look forward to the next change.

Winter

Just cozy enough to make you feel at home with the world. One of the high seasons is in December, when dull colors of winter are warmed by the splendor of the holidays. A colorful Christmas parade makes its way down Broad and the Richmond Ballet performs it's annual "Nutcracker" as the theatre season at the Carpenter Center, Landmark Theater and Modlin Center for the Arts hit their seasonal stride. A festival of lights with the Grand Illumination of the Downtown area and the amazing Gardenfest of Lights at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden will warm up any evening. Snow is a rare event, about once a decade the area gets an appreciable snow. During the daylight hours, the weather is usually warm enough for a light jacket - the days may be shorter, yet often it's warm enough for a great round of golf! Evenings may bring a chill to the air, but settling down around a cozy fire in one of the area restaurants will add to the romance of the season.

Spring

The trees bud, the flowers open and bloom, then Kings Dominion follows suit! Look for Garden Week in Virginia, the variety of flowers and trees in the Richmond area endows spring with a long reign of glory. Temperatures become quite pleasant, there are those days that wake-up and surprise you with the promise of things to come, balmy breezes and warm sunny days. Azaleas bloom in Bryant Park, Maymont welcomes the baby animals born in the park and Lewis Ginter hosts the Easter Bunny! Say golf, and you find it in abundance, say sightseeing and the James River Planations will welcome you or take in a weekend at Kings Dominion and you can keep the whole family happy. There's not much more we can say about Spring in Richmond, it's just delightful, romantic and all those things you're looking for!

Summer

You are in the sunny south, yet it's the wettest season. Most rain arrives in thunderstorms that creep up at the close of day, so for daylight hours, dress light. Summer in Richmond is for the great outdoors! Make plans to ride the white water rapids right through the middle of town on the James River or take a tumble into Paramount’s Water Works at Kings Dominion. The parks in Richmond are quite amazing with paddle boats in Byrd Park, splendid and exotic gardens great for walking at Maymont, Make a week of it, there's lots to do and if the temperature gets a bit high for a day or two, take in one of the many amazing museums around town, a great escape for those hot afternoons. Most summer days are quite pleasant, starting with a warm sunny morning, (great for an early game of golf) and flows into a great afternoon for tours of Civil War Battlefields or the historic 17th century Cittie of Henricus. The evenings bring on a breeze, where dining at one of the outdoor cafes in the Slip or Cary Street can top a great day.

Autumn

This is one of the area's most beautiful times of year. Warm September days wind down into crisp October afternoons, and spectacular fall color begins to turn trees into works of art. The foliage-feast-for-the-eyes surrounds you as you wander in and out of galleries, gardens, exhibits and shops. The haunts pick up with scary nights at local theme parks, or haunted tours through historic sections of Richmond or a visit to the Poe Museum. The days are quite pleasant — a sweater or light jacket will suffice. Night frosts usually don’t appear until late November to mid-December, and even then, the aroma of hearth fires burning and apple cider brewing will make you want to linger in the fresh evening air. Make Richmond your favorite fall getaway. You'll be glad you did.