Climate & Weather in Norfolk

Norfolk has a genuine humid subtropical climate -- real, hot, humid summers (July average high 86.8F) and mild, cool winters (January average low 32.3F) with 47 inches of annual precipitation and about 75% average humidity year-round -- a real, distinct profile from both the semi-arid high-plains climates and the desert climates covered elsewhere in this project.

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A Genuine Humid Subtropical Climate, With Real Seasonal Variation

Norfolk's climate is classified as humid subtropical, with a mean annual temperature around 62F. Summers are hot and humid, with July averaging an 86.8F high and temperatures reaching the low 90s; winters are mild by northern standards but genuinely cold at times, with January averaging a 32.3F overnight low. Spring and fall are generally described as pleasant, with temperatures in the mid-50s to mid-70s. This is a real four-season climate, distinct from the near-year-round warmth of Florida markets or the dry heat of Southwest desert markets covered elsewhere in this project.

Real, Consistent Humidity and Rainfall

Norfolk sees about 47 inches of rain a year on average, with July the wettest month (5.17 inches) and November the driest (2.98 inches). Average humidity runs around 75% year-round -- a real, sustained humidity level that shapes how both summer heat and winter chill actually feel, distinct from the low-humidity climates covered in this project's Colorado and Arizona builds.

Snow Is Real but Modest

Norfolk averages about 5 inches of snow per year -- a real but modest amount, consistent with its coastal, comparatively mild-winter position relative to inland Virginia and the Appalachian markets covered elsewhere in this state's build.

Hurricane Season and Tidal Flooding Are Real, Distinct Climate-Adjacent Risks

Norfolk's climate picture is inseparable from two real, distinct hazard factors covered in full on the flood-hurricane-risk topic page: a documented Atlantic hurricane-season risk (June through November, historically including the 1933 storm and Hurricane Isabel in 2003) and a currently accelerating, well-documented "sunny day" tidal-flooding trend tied to sea-level rise and real, ongoing land subsidence -- up 325% since 1960 and projected to reach 85-125 high-tide flood days a year by 2050. These aren't generic coastal-city footnotes; they're genuinely central to understanding Norfolk's real, current climate exposure.

No Independently Confirmed Air-Quality or Wildfire-Smoke Impact This Pass

Unlike Denver's build in this project, which found real, current wildfire-smoke air-quality impacts, this pass did not find comparable evidence of a significant wildfire-smoke air-quality factor for Norfolk -- disclosed as a real gap in this pass's research rather than an assumption that no such impact exists.

Key takeaways

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-24. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.