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Louisa-VAPhoto: ChrisalaneJonesWiki · CC BY-SA 4.0
Climate in Louisa · NOAA 1991–2020 normals

Weather without surprises: Louisa keeps close to the norm for U.S. towns

In January the night’s low is typically 25°. Winter and summer sit 63° apart. By July afternoons alone, it runs hotter than 67% of U.S. towns. Homes need heating from November to March, the months averaging under 50°.

Milder January nights than 63% of U.S. towns#178Mildest winters  of 226 in VA
Less snow than 58% of U.S. towns#137Least snow  of 226 in VA
All VA rankings →

A year in Louisa at a glance

Each month’s typical high and low, and what it brings.

Jan46°25° 5" snow
Feb50°27° 6" snow
Mar58°34°
Apr69°43° Last frost ~Apr 26
May77°52° 1 day 90°+
Jun84°61° 7 days 90°+Wettest
Jul88°65° 13 days 90°+
Aug86°64° 9 days 90°+
Sep80°57° 3 days 90°+
Oct69°45° First frost ~Oct 20
Nov now58°34°
Dec49°28° 3" snow

What stands out about Louisa’s climate

Compared with towns across the U.S., with Louisa’s place in Virginia beside it.

A normal year

What a year in Louisa feels like

Typical highs and lows by season and by month, from NOAA’s 30-year normals.

Winter
48° / 27°
4 days with 1"+ of snow
Spring
68° / 43°
Last frost around Apr 26
Summer
86° / 63°
33 days reach 90°
Fall
69° / 45°
First frost around Oct 20
Best months to be outsideAprMayJunSepOctHighs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more
Frost, heat & the growing season

About 175 frost-free days a year

In half of years the last 32° night comes by April 26 and the first by October 20. Frost and day counts come from NOAA’s station at Louisa, VA, 1.8 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height.

110
nights at or below 32° in a normal year
169th fewest of 226 in Virginia
Fewer freezing nights than 53% of U.S. towns
<1
nights at or below 0°
187th fewest of 226 in Virginia
Fewer nights at or below 0° than 57% of U.S. towns
33
days that reach 90°
77th most of 226 in Virginia
More 90° days than 65% of U.S. towns
<1
days that reach 100°
138th most of 226 in Virginia
More 100° days than 57% of U.S. towns
7aUSDA zone
Plant hardiness zone 7a

The 2023 USDA map puts Louisa’s center in zone 7a: the coldest night of a typical winter, averaged over 1991–2020, reaches about 4°. Plant labels use the zone; frost dates tell you when to plant.

Freezing nights by month

Average nights at or below 32°

24
JFMAMJJASOND

90° days by month

Average days at 90° or more

13
JFMAMJJASOND
Rain & snow

About 16 inches of snow a winter

Snow, measured at Louisa, VA, falls mostly in February. Precipitation (rain plus melted snow) adds up to 45 inches a year; June is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 118 days a year.

45"
Rain + melted snow a year
76th wettest of 226 in Virginia
Wetter than 60% of U.S. towns
16"
Snow in a normal winter
137th least snowy of 226 in Virginia
Less snow than 58% of U.S. towns
10 days
With 1"+ of snow on the ground
76th fewest of 206 in Virginia
Fewer days with snow on the ground than 61% of U.S. towns

Rain + melted snow by month

Inches of water

4.5"
JFMAMJJASOND

Snowfall by month

Inches of snow

6"
JFMAMJJASOND
Heating & cooling

Heating and cooling a home in Louisa

80% of the work is heating. Months averaging under 55° run from November through March.

4,448 heating degree daysLess heating than 67% of U.S. towns
1,119 cooling degree daysMore cooling than 60% of U.S. towns

Degree days add up how far each day’s average falls below (heating) or rises above (cooling) 65° over a year. NOAA normals at Louisa, VA.

Living here

Living with Louisa’s climate

What the numbers mean for a garden, a free afternoon and a bad-weather day.

The garden window

175 frost-free days in zone 7a. The last frost comes by Apr 26 in half of years, so many gardeners wait a week or two past that to set out tomatoes. The first fall frost comes by Oct 20.

Get outside

Months with highs of 62–84° and lows of 40° or more: April, May, June, September and October. 0.6 miles of trails are waiting.

Parks & trails →
Storms and extremes

Of the yearly building losses FEMA expects in Louisa from natural hazards, river flooding is the largest share (36%); heat waves, cold waves, winter storms and ice storms together are 3%. Normals are averages; the hazards page covers the extremes.

Natural hazards →
Next door & far away

Louisa and similar climates

TownRatings has no climate map of the towns around Louisa yet.

Climates most like Louisa’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.

TownJan. lowJuly highPrecip.Snow
Louisa, VA25°88°45"16"
Republic, MO23°88°45"14"
Wilmington, DE25°87°46"20"
Du Quoin, IL24°88°46"12"
Carneys Point, NJ26°87°46"20"

Temperatures and precipitation come from NOAA’s 5 km grid; snow and day counts from the stations named on this page.

Then and now

Warmer than it used to be

The last 30 years in Louisa averaged 1.2° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.2°).

+1.2°1991–2020 vs. 1901–2000

A smaller shift than in 59% of U.S. towns.

Winter+1.8°now 38°, was 36°
Spring+1.2°now 55°, was 54°
Summer+1.1°now 75°, was 74°
Fall+0.9°now 57°, was 56°

Change by month

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

The two periods overlap (1991–2000 is in both), which makes the gap a little smaller than it would be between separate periods.

Compared with other towns

How Louisa compares

Against 12,954 U.S. towns of 2,500 or more (one per 5 km climate cell), with Louisa’s place among Virginia’s.

Summer heat88° July high
Hotter July afternoons than 67% of U.S. towns81st hottest of 226 in Virginia
Winter cold25° January low
Milder January nights than 63% of U.S. towns178th mildest of 226 in Virginia
Precipitation45" a year
Wetter than 60% of U.S. towns76th wettest of 226 in Virginia
Snow16" a winter
Less snow than 58% of U.S. towns137th least snowy of 226 in Virginia
Hot days33 days at 90°+
More 90° days than 65% of U.S. towns77th most of 226 in Virginia
Freezing nights110 a year
Fewer freezing nights than 53% of U.S. towns169th fewest of 226 in Virginia
Growing season175 frost-free days
A shorter frost-free season than 64% of U.S. towns12th shortest of 226 in Virginia
Month by month

Louisa weather by month

Highs, lows and precipitation from NOAA’s grid at Louisa’s center; snow, wet days and snow on the ground from Louisa, VA. 1991–2020 normals.

MonthHighLowRain + meltSnowWet daysSnow on ground30-yr range
January46°25°3.1"4.5"9328° – 42°
February50°27°2.7"6.1"8430° – 47°
March58°34°3.8"1.5"10141° – 56°
April69°43°3.5"0.3"11052° – 61°
May77°52°4.1"0.0"12060° – 70°
June84°61°4.5"0.0"11068° – 77°
July88°65°4.1"0.0"11073° – 80°
August86°64°4.0"0.0"9070° – 78°
September80°57°4.5"0.0"10065° – 73°
October69°45°3.7"0.0"8053° – 63°
November58°34°3.5"0.1"9041° – 51°
December49°28°3.5"3.3"10229° – 49°
Year68°45°45.0"15.8"11810
Year to year

How much a month can swing

A normal is an average. December swings the most: from 1991 to 2020 its average ranged from 29° to 49°. July is the most reliable, staying within 7°.

Coldest to warmest month in 30 yearsNormal
Sources

Where Louisa’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 Louisa’s center.
  • Snow: Louisa, VA (NOAA station in town).
  • Frost, freezing nights, 90° and 100° days, heating and cooling: Louisa, VA, 1.8 miles from the town’s center, at about the same height; 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 Louisa’s climate

What is the weather like in Louisa?

A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 25°, and about 16 inches of snow falls in a normal winter. Milder January nights than 63% of U.S. towns; hotter July afternoons than 67% of U.S. towns.

How cold does it get in Louisa in winter?

January nights average 25°. About 110 nights a year reach 32° or below. In the coldest January of the last 30 years the month averaged 28°.

How much snow does Louisa get?

About 16 inches in a normal winter at Louisa, VA, most of it in February, with snow on the ground about 10 days a year.

How hot does it get in Louisa?

July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 65°. About 33 days a year reach 90° (Louisa, VA).

When is the first and last frost in Louisa?

In half of years the last spring frost (32°) comes by April 26 and the first fall frost by October 20, about 175 frost-free days, at Louisa, VA.

What growing zone is Louisa in?

Zone 7a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map: the coldest night of a typical winter reaches about 4°.

What is the best time of year to visit Louisa?

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 Louisa getting warmer?

Yes: 1991–2020 averaged 1.2° warmer than 1901–2000 on NOAA’s grid. A smaller shift than 59% of U.S. towns.

Neighbors talk weather

Gardens, snow, and the best days of the year in Louisa.

Town Square →
Ask your neighbors

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.