Bel Air · Photo: Virginiahistorian77 · CC BY-SA 3.0Summers, winters and rain in Dale City all run close to those of most U.S. towns
On a normal July day the thermometer tops out near 88°. Seasons differ by 61°, from the coldest nights to the warmest afternoons. By January nights alone, it runs milder than 67% of U.S. towns. Radiators earn their keep from November to March, the months that average under 50°.
A year in Dale City at a glance
Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.
What stands out about Dale City’s climate
Compared with towns across the U.S., with Dale City’s place in Virginia beside it.
What a year in Dale City feels like
Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.
About 226 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 28 and the first by November 8. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Quantico Mcas, VA, 11 miles from the city’s center point, 270 ft lower.
The 2023 USDA map puts Dale City’s center in zone 7b: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 6°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.
Freezing nights by month
Average nights at or below 32°
90° days by month
Average days at 90° or more
About 12 inches of snow a winter
Snow, measured at Quantico Mcas, VA, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 42 inches a year; July is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 118 days a year.
Rain + melted snow by month
Inches of water
Snowfall by month
Inches of snow
Heating and cooling a home in Dale City
73% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through March.
Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Quantico Mcas, VA.
Living with Dale City’s climate
What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.
226 frost-free days in zone 7b. The last frost comes by Mar 28 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Nov 8.
Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, June, September and October. 9.6 miles of trails are waiting.
Parks & trails →Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Dale City from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (58%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 15%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.
Natural hazards →Dale City and its neighbors
Leesylvania the hottest July afternoons (89°, 1° warmer). Differences under a degree are within what the 5 km grid can tell apart. Tap a town to see its climate.
Climates most like Dale City’s, farther away
TownRatings’ own comparison of NOAA 1991–2020 normals, not a NOAA product: places of 5,000+ at least 150 miles away, one per state, closest on January low, July high, precipitation and snow.
| Town | Jan. low | July high | Precip. | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dale City, VA | 26° | 88° | 42" | 12" |
| Hurricane, WV | 25° | 87° | 44" | 11" |
| Chester, IL | 24° | 88° | 44" | 12" |
| St. Louis, MO | 24° | 88° | 42" | 14" |
| Johnson City, TN | 27° | 87° | 46" | 9.2" |
Temperatures and rain come from NOAA’s 5 km grid, so each town gets its own value. Snow and frost-free days come from the nearest weather station, so neighbors often share them.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Dale City averaged 1.8° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.8°).
A bigger shift than in 81% of U.S. towns.
Change by month
The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.
How Dale City compares
Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Dale City’s place among Virginia’s.
Dale City weather by month
Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Dale City’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Quantico Mcas, VA. 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 26° | 2.8" | 3.5" | 9 | 2 | 27° – 42° |
| February | 48° | 28° | 2.6" | 5.8" | 9 | 4 | 28° – 45° |
| March | 56° | 35° | 3.4" | 1.4" | 11 | 1 | 40° – 55° |
| April | 67° | 45° | 3.3" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 52° – 62° |
| May | 75° | 54° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 13 | 0 | 60° – 70° |
| June | 83° | 63° | 4.0" | 0.0" | 11 | 0 | 68° – 77° |
| July | 88° | 68° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 10 | 0 | 73° – 82° |
| August | 86° | 66° | 3.8" | 0.0" | 8 | 0 | 71° – 80° |
| September | 79° | 59° | 4.2" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 66° – 74° |
| October | 68° | 47° | 3.5" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 53° – 64° |
| November | 57° | 37° | 3.0" | 0.0" | 9 | 0 | 41° – 53° |
| December | 48° | 30° | 3.4" | 1.7" | 10 | 1 | 30° – 51° |
| Year | 67° | 47° | 42.1" | 12.4" | 118 | 8 |
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 30° to 51°. September is the most reliable, staying within 8°.
Where Dale City’s numbers come from
Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. How TownRatings reads climate data →
- Temperatures and precipitation: NOAA’s gridded 1991–2020 normals for the 5 km cell at Dale City’s center.
- Snow: Quantico Mcas, VA.
- Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Quantico Mcas, VA, 11 miles from the city’s center point, 270 ft lower; the nearest station that passes our checks for distance, height and agreement with the grid.
- Growing zone: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023. USDA Agricultural Research Service and PRISM Group, Oregon State University, prism.oregonstate.edu/phzm, accessed 8 Oct 2026.
- Then and now: NOAA’s gridded normals for 1901–2000 at the same cell.
- Storms and extremes: FEMA National Risk Index (expected annual losses to buildings).
Common questions about Dale City’s climate
What is the weather like in Dale City?
A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 26°, and about 12 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 67% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 65% of U.S. towns.
How cold does it get in Dale City in winter?
January nights average 26°. About 76 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 27°.
How much snow does Dale City get?
About 12 inches in a normal winter at Quantico Mcas, VA, most of it in February, with snow on the ground about 8 days a year.
How hot does it get in Dale City?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 68°. About 30 days a year reach 90° (Quantico Mcas, VA).
When is the first and last frost in Dale City?
In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by March 28 and the first fall frost by November 8, about 226 frost-free days, at Quantico Mcas, VA.
What growing zone is Dale City in?
Zone 7b on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 6°.
What is the best time of year to visit Dale City?
By one simple rule (highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more), April, May, June, September and October. The rule is ours, not NOAA’s; the month table has the numbers to judge by.
Is Dale City getting warmer?
Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.8° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A bigger shift than 81% of U.S. towns.
Neighbors talk weather
Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Dale City.
Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000; USDA/PRISM 2023 hardiness zones; FEMA National Risk Index. Today’s forecast: National Weather Service.