What Are the Warmest Cities in Virginia?

In this article I’m going to share with you my ranking of the warmest places in Virginia.

I created my list by researching data provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other climate data providers.

Below I’m listing the top 10 warmest places in Virginia that have the highest average yearly temperatures. Later in the article I share a table with 28 most populous cities in Virginia.

Top 10 Warmest Cities in Virginia

Here are the top 10 warmest places in Virginia ranked by their daily mean temperature from weather data collected by the NOAA. While most cities share a similar climate since they’re situated in the same subtropical region, some places get a higher average temperature more suitable for those who like warm weather. The state’s average temperature of 57.6 °F for the selected cities is noticeably higher than the national average annual temperature of 52.7 °F (excluding Hawaii and Alaska).

For the top five cities I also give average winter and summer temperatures.

1. Virginia Beach – daily mean temperature of 61.6 °F

The most populous city in Virginia, Virginia Beach on the Atlantic coast, is also the warmest city in the state along with three cities close to it—Norfolk, Hampton, and Portsmouth. Further in this ranking there’s also neighboring Newport News and Chesapeake with the same average annual temperatures. Virginia Beach is located on the east coast and enjoys average temperatures above 60 °F during the day 9 months out of the year.

Its humid subtropical climate is moderated by the Atlantic Ocean, giving it higher winter temperatures than in Central Virginia and Western Virginia. The coldest temperature in winter during the day in January is about 50 °F, while the hottest temperature in the summer in July is 89 °F. Occasional winter frost is possible between November and March, while the highest summer temperatures can reach 98 °F.

Winter temperatures: highs of 51-55 °F, lows of 34-38 °F

Summer temperatures: highs of 85-89 °F, lows of 68-73 °F

2. Norfolk – daily mean temperature of 61.6 °F

Norfolk is a part of the metropolitan area spanning from Newport News to Chesapeake. If you’re looking for the best weather in Virginia, there’s no difference whether you choose Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Hampton, or Portsmouth since they all share the same climate. Norfolk has a population of 238,000 people which is about a half of the population of Virginia Beach.

Winter temperatures: highs of 51-55 °F, lows of 34-38 °F

Summer temperatures: highs of 85-89 °F, lows of 68-73 °F

3. Hampton – daily mean temperature of 61.6 °F

Hampton lies about 30 miles northwest of Virginia Beach. It’s a city of about 137,000 people. The highest recorded temperature in the area is 105 °F but average temperatures are very comfortable most of the year (at least for those who enjoy warm weather).

Winter temperatures: highs of 51-55 °F, lows of 34-38 °F

Summer temperatures: highs of 85-89 °F, lows of 68-73 °F

4. Portsmouth – daily mean temperature of 61.6 °F

Portsmouth is the forth city in this ranking located in the same region as the three cities before. It has about 98,000 residents. The entire metropolitan area enjoys what some call “Goldilocks climate” that for most of the year (excluding the hottest months with higher humidity) isn’t too cold or too hot.

Winter temperatures: highs of 51-55 °F, lows of 34-38 °F

Summer temperatures: highs of 85-89 °F, lows of 68-73 °F

5. Hopewell – daily mean temperature of 60.75 °F

If you’re looking for the best weather in Virginia outside of its major metropolitan area, Hopewell is the first option in this ranking. This city of 23,000 residents lies southeast of the capital of Virginia, Richmond. Compared to Virginia Beach and the neighboring cities, it has average daytime temperatures higher by about a degree and nights cooler by about two degrees.

Winter temperatures: highs of 50-54 °F, lows of 31-35 °F

Summer temperatures: highs of 86-90 °F, lows of 66-71 °F

6. Newport News – daily mean temperature of 60.55 °F

According to climate data, Newport News, despite being located close to the first four cities in this list, has an average annual temperature lower by one degree. It still has good weather—some of the best in the state—but its location slightly further inland means that it has lower winter temperatures.

7. Chesapeake – daily mean temperature of 59.75 °F

Chesapeake is located 7 miles south of Norfolk. It’s the second most populous city in the region, with 250,000 people calling it home. While its annual daily mean temperature is almost two degrees lower than in the warmest cities in the state, it still has mild weather most of the year, with daytime temperatures during the winter not dropping below 50 °F.

8. Emporia – daily mean temperature of 59.75 °F

If you don’t want to live on the east coast of Virginia, Emporia, situated 77 miles west of Chesapeake, may be an option for you. This town of about 5,800 people has average winter daytime temperatures about 1-2 degrees higher than in Chesapeake. Nighttime temperatures are lower, though, with freezing temperatures between December and February. Summers are roughly the same, though Emporia, being further inland and away from larger bodies of water, has less humidity.

9. Williamsburg – daily mean temperature of 59.65 °F

Williamsburg is located 23 miles northwest of Newport News. It’s a city of over 15,000 people with its economy, like that of Virginia Beach, driven by tourism. While Virginia Beach offers beach vacation, Williamsburg offers a more suitable year round attraction of Colonial Williamsburg, an open-air museum. Weather-wise, Wiliamsburg has winters colder by about 2-3 degrees and slightly cooler summers.

10. Suffolk – daily mean temperature of 59.45 °F

Suffolk has a population of about 94,000 people and is situated about 22 miles west of Chesapeake. Despite being the tenth warmest city in this ranking, it’s still on average by far one of the warmest cities in the state. For those who would prefer even more pronounced four seasons while still enjoying relatively mild weather, cities closer to the Appalachian Mountains and Blue Ridge Mountains, such as Waynesboro, Radford, Covington, or Galax are better options.

Video Summary of the Warmest Virginia Cities

28 Biggest Cities in Virginia Ranked by Daily Mean Temperature

I created the table below by researching data for the most populous municipalities in Virginia. When I couldn’t find data for a given city, I moved on to another. While the list includes 28 cities, some of the bigger cities may be missing because there was no data for them. Please check the closest geographically city then.

Check the Warmest Cities in Neighboring States

If you’re interested in learning about the warmest cities in states neighboring Virginia, check out the following articles:

• What Are the Warmest Cities in Kentucky?
• What Are the Warmest Cities in Maryland?
• What Are the Warmest Cities in North Carolina?
• What Are the Warmest Cities in Tennessee?
• What Are the Warmest Cities in West Virginia?

Also check my article on the warmest cities in the US in every state.