Climate of Virginia
1139568
222310786
2008-06-28T17:29:05Z
71.241.47.78
/* Climate zones */
[[Image:Shenandoah Trees.jpg|thumb|The Blue Ridge Mountains have a humid continental climate.]]
The '''climate of Virginia''', a state on the east coast of the [[United States]], is considered mild compared to other areas of the United States. Most of [[Virginia]] east of the [[Blue Ridge Mountains]], plus the southern part of the [[Shenandoah Valley]], has a [[humid subtropical climate]] ([[Koppen climate classification]] ''Cfa''). In the mountainous areas west of the Blue Ridge, the climate becomes [[humid continental climate|humid continental]] (Koppen ''Dfa'').<ref name=Climate>{{cite web |url= http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG202/climate.html |title= Climate of Virginia |work= [http://www.runet.edu/~swoodwar/CLASSES/GEOG202/virginia.html GEOG 202] |publisher= [[Radford University]] |date= [[March 14]], [[2000]] |accessdate= 2007-11-21}}</ref> Severe weather, in the form of tornadoes, tropical cyclones, and winter storms impact the state on a regular basis.
==Climate zones==
[[Image:ClimateMapWorld.png|thumb|right|Worldwide climate classifications]]
Many variations occur because of the state's significant relief. Elevations in Virginia vary from sea level to [[Mount Rogers]] at 5,729 ft (1,746 m) above sea level, with major gradations occurring at the edges of the Atlantic Ocean, the end of the [[Piedmont (United States)|Piedmont]], and the Blue Ridge and [[Allegheny Mountains|Allegheny]] chains of the [[Appalachian Mountains]]. The moderating influence of the ocean from the east, powered by the [[Gulf Stream]], also creates the potential for [[tropical cyclone|hurricanes]] near the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. Cold air masses arrive over the mountains, especially in winter, which can lead to significant snowfalls when coastal storms known as nor'easters move up the Atlantic coast. Much of central and southern Virginia however has not had over one foot of snow in a single storm since the [[Blizzard of December 26th, 2004]].{{Fact|date=November 2007}} The interaction of these elements with the state's topography create micro-climates in the Shenandoah Valley, the mountainous southwest, and the coastal plains that are slightly but noticeably distinct from each other.<ref>{{cite web|title=Climate of Virginia| publisher = Charles A. Grymes| url=http://www.virginiaplaces.org/classschedule/4climate.html | accessdate = 2007-07-30}}</ref> An additional element in recent years is the expansion of the southern suburbs of [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]] into northern Virginia, creating an [[urban heat island]] due to the increased energy output of the city. However, aside from the urban stations, no [[global warming]] effects have been noted by Virginia weather stations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.archive.org/web/20020922182906/http://climate.virginia.edu/advisory/2001/ad01-07.htm|title=Advisory 01/07: The Hot Get Hotter? Urban Warming and Air Quality| publisher=University of Virginia Climatology Office| accessdate = 2007-07-30}}</ref>
==Temperatures==
{| class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto 1em auto" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|
| colspan="14" style="text-align:center;background:#E8EAFA;"|'''Monthly Normal High and Low Temperatures For Various Virginia Cities'''<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-virginia |title= Virginia Weather And Climate |work= [http://www.ustravelweather.com US Travel Weather] |date= [[August 30]], [[2007]] |accessdate= 2007-11-25}}</ref>
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! style="background: #E5AFAA; color: #000000" height="17" colspan="2"| City
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jan
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Feb
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Mar
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Apr
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | May
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jun
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Jul
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Aug
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Sep
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Oct
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Nov
! style="background: #E5AFAA; color:#000000;" | Dec
|-
! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" rowspan="2"| Lynchburg
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | Hi
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|-
! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" rowspan="2" | Norfolk
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | Hi
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! style="background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" height="16;" rowspan="2" | Richmond
| style="text-align:center; background: #F8F3CA; color:#000000;" | Hi
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! style="background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" height="16;" rowspan="2"| Roanoke
| style="text-align:center; background: #C5DFE1; color:#000000;" | Hi
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==Severe weather==
[[Severe weather]] is a concern in Virginia. Hurricanes make the coastal area of Virginia vulnerable. It is rare for a major hurricane to threaten the Virginia coast as hurricanes this far north tend to weaken due to cooler coast waters and increasingly westerly winds aloft. Heavy rain from tropical cyclones remains a concern, however. [[Hurricane Isabel]] in 2003 brought much destruction from wind and rain, killing 10 directly and doing nearly two billion dollars in damage. [[Hurricane Gaston]] in 2004 inundated [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] after moving ashore South Carolina.<ref>[[David M. Roth]]. [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/gaston2004filledrainblk.gif Hurricane Gaston Rainfall Graphic.] Retrieved on [[2008-01-13]].</ref> Virginia is often struck with the remnants of systems which hit along the [[Gulf of Mexico]] coastline, which also bring torrential rain to the state. [[Hurricane Camille]] was an extreme example, bringing {{convert|27|in|mm}} of rainfall to portions of Nelson county in a matter of hours.<ref>[[David M. Roth]]. [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/camille1969.html Hurricane Camille Rainfall Page.] Retrieved on [[2008-01-13]].</ref> Thunderstorms are an occasional concern with the state averaging anywhere from 30-50 days of thunderstorm activity annually, with the highest area of occurrence going towards the west.{{Fact|date=November 2007}} Eastern Virginia has a lower rate of [[tornado]]es, and the state averages around 2 tornadoes per year. The last tornado that Virginia experienced was 4 June 2008.
==See Also==
*[[Climate]]
*[[Climate of the United States]]
*[[List_of_wettest_tropical_cyclones_in_the_United_States#Virginia|List of wettest known tropical cyclones in Virginia]]
*[[United States tropical cyclone rainfall climatology]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External Links==
*[http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/roth/vahur.htm Virginia Hurricane History - NWS]
{{ClimateUS}}
{{Virginia}}
[[Category:Natural history of Virginia]]
[[Category:Climate of Virginia]]