Best time to visit Charlottesville
The best time to visit Charlottesville is April and October, judged on twenty years of weather records and the events worth going for.
Charlottesville, Virginia, United States
°C
mm
- Average daily high and low
- Precipitation
- Good month
- Best month
- Made good or best by an event
| Month | Average daily high | Average daily low | Precipitation | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7.4 °C / 45 °F | -1.8 °C / 29 °F | 78 mm / 3.1 in | neither best nor good |
| February | 9.8 °C / 50 °F | -0.7 °C / 31 °F | 75 mm / 3 in | neither best nor good |
| March | 14.9 °C / 59 °F | 3.5 °C / 38 °F | 77 mm / 3 in | good month |
| April | 20.6 °C / 69 °F | 8.5 °C / 47 °F | 89 mm / 3.5 in | best month |
| May | 24.5 °C / 76 °F | 13.7 °C / 57 °F | 103 mm / 4.1 in | good month |
| June | 29.2 °C / 85 °F | 18.3 °C / 65 °F | 80 mm / 3.2 in | good month |
| July | 31.5 °C / 89 °F | 21 °C / 70 °F | 77 mm / 3 in | neither best nor good |
| August | 30.2 °C / 86 °F | 19.8 °C / 68 °F | 82 mm / 3.2 in | neither best nor good |
| September | 26.5 °C / 80 °F | 16.1 °C / 61 °F | 102 mm / 4 in | good month |
| October | 20.8 °C / 69 °F | 9.5 °C / 49 °F | 84 mm / 3.3 in | best month |
| November | 14.4 °C / 58 °F | 3.3 °C / 38 °F | 73 mm / 2.9 in | good month |
| December | 9.8 °C / 50 °F | 0.4 °C / 33 °F | 93 mm / 3.7 in | neither best nor good |
Good and best months depend on more than temperature, rain and events. How they are chosen
Each activity on this page has its own good and best months, rated on twenty years of daily weather records. Which measures count, and how much, depends on the activity: humidity for exploring outdoors, wind for the beach, hiking and skiing, snow for skiing alone. Between them, the activities are rated on:
- Daytime highs
- Night-time lows
- How warm it feels
- Humidity
- How much of the day is sunny
- Hours of daylight
- Monthly rainfall
- How many days it rains
- Days of heavy rain
- Wind
- Snowfall and days with snow
- Major events, such as festivals
The chart shows the good and best months for exploring outdoors.
The event icon marks a month that an event lifts to good or best, such as a festival or a natural spectacle. Choose “Weather only” in the toolbar to rate the months on weather alone.
Best months by activity
Exploring outdoors
Mild days and nights, mostly dry and bright. The default for 'when should I go'.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: neither
- MMarch: good
- AApril: best
- MMay: good
- JJune: good
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: good
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: good
- DDecember: neither
- Best
- April, October
- Good
- March, May–June, September, November
Why these months
March · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 71%, precipitation 77 mm / 3 in, average daily high 14.9 °C / 59 °F, days with heavy rain 2.4 days, wet days 9.9 days, relative humidity 57%.
Against: feels like (high) 11.8 °C / 53 °F, average daily low 3.5 °C / 38 °F.
April · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 18.7 °C / 66 °F, average daily high 20.6 °C / 69 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 75%, precipitation 89 mm / 3.5 in, days with heavy rain 2.8 days, wet days 9.2 days, relative humidity 59%, average daily low 8.5 °C / 47 °F.
May · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 24.8 °C / 77 °F, average daily high 24.5 °C / 76 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 75%, precipitation 103 mm / 4.1 in, average daily low 13.7 °C / 57 °F, days with heavy rain 3.8 days, relative humidity 68%, wet days 11.8 days.
June · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 82%, precipitation 80 mm / 3.2 in, days with heavy rain 2.5 days, average daily high 29.2 °C / 85 °F, average daily low 18.3 °C / 65 °F, wet days 10.5 days, relative humidity 67%.
Against: feels like (high) 31.2 °C / 88 °F.
September · good
In its favour: feels like (high) 27.6 °C / 82 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 73%, average daily high 26.5 °C / 80 °F, precipitation 102 mm / 4 in, wet days 8.5 days, days with heavy rain 3.1 days, average daily low 16.1 °C / 61 °F, relative humidity 71%.
October · best
In its favour: feels like (high) 19.6 °C / 67 °F, average daily high 20.8 °C / 69 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 74%, precipitation 84 mm / 3.3 in, wet days 7.5 days, days with heavy rain 2.6 days, average daily low 9.5 °C / 49 °F, relative humidity 70%.
November · good
In its favour: share of daylight that is sunny 77%, precipitation 73 mm / 2.9 in, wet days 7 days, average daily high 14.4 °C / 58 °F, days with heavy rain 2.3 days, relative humidity 65%.
Against: feels like (high) 11.6 °C / 53 °F, average daily low 3.3 °C / 38 °F.
Hiking and trekking
Cool enough to climb in, dry enough to enjoy, long enough days.
- JJanuary: neither
- FFebruary: good
- MMarch: best
- AApril: best
- MMay: good
- JJune: neither
- JJuly: neither
- AAugust: neither
- SSeptember: neither
- OOctober: best
- NNovember: best
- DDecember: good
- Best
- March–April, October–November
- Good
- February, May, December
Why these months
February · good
In its favour: precipitation 75 mm / 3 in, average daily high 9.8 °C / 50 °F, wet days 8.7 days, days with heavy rain 2.1 days, share of daylight that is sunny 72%, daylight per day 10.8 h, wind (daily max) 15 km/h / 9 mph, feels like (high) 6 °C / 43 °F, average daily low -0.7 °C / 31 °F.
March · best
In its favour: average daily high 14.9 °C / 59 °F, precipitation 77 mm / 3 in, days with heavy rain 2.4 days, feels like (high) 11.8 °C / 53 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 71%, daylight per day 12 h, wet days 9.9 days, average daily low 3.5 °C / 38 °F, wind (daily max) 15 km/h / 10 mph.
April · best
In its favour: average daily high 20.6 °C / 69 °F, precipitation 89 mm / 3.5 in, wet days 9.2 days, feels like (high) 18.7 °C / 66 °F, average daily low 8.5 °C / 47 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 75%, daylight per day 13.2 h, days with heavy rain 2.8 days, wind (daily max) 16 km/h / 10 mph.
May · good
In its favour: average daily high 24.5 °C / 76 °F, precipitation 103 mm / 4.1 in, average daily low 13.7 °C / 57 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 75%, daylight per day 14.2 h, wet days 11.8 days, days with heavy rain 3.8 days, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph, feels like (high) 24.8 °C / 77 °F.
October · best
In its favour: average daily high 20.8 °C / 69 °F, precipitation 84 mm / 3.3 in, wet days 7.5 days, feels like (high) 19.6 °C / 67 °F, average daily low 9.5 °C / 49 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 74%, days with heavy rain 2.6 days, daylight per day 11.2 h, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph.
November · best
In its favour: average daily high 14.4 °C / 58 °F, precipitation 73 mm / 2.9 in, wet days 7 days, days with heavy rain 2.3 days, feels like (high) 11.6 °C / 53 °F, share of daylight that is sunny 77%, average daily low 3.3 °C / 38 °F, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph, daylight per day 10.1 h.
December · good
In its favour: average daily high 9.8 °C / 50 °F, precipitation 93 mm / 3.7 in, wet days 8.8 days, share of daylight that is sunny 68%, days with heavy rain 2.8 days, wind (daily max) 13 km/h / 8 mph, average daily low 0.4 °C / 33 °F, feels like (high) 6.6 °C / 44 °F.
Against: daylight per day 9.6 h.
An activity is listed only where it applies: skiing at ski destinations, beach and swimming at beach destinations. The nearest ski area is Wintergreen Ski Resort, 42 km away.
Weather averages
Monthly averages over twenty years, 2006–2025. Highs, lows and precipitation are in the chart at the top.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels like (high) | 3.6 °C | 6 °C | 11.8 °C | 18.7 °C | 24.8 °C | 31.2 °C | 34.3 °C | 32.7 °C | 27.6 °C | 19.6 °C | 11.6 °C | 6.6 °C |
| Days with heavy rain | 2.6 days | 2.1 days | 2.4 days | 2.8 days | 3.8 days | 2.5 days | 2.2 days | 2.6 days | 3.1 days | 2.6 days | 2.3 days | 2.8 days |
| Time rain usually falls | 8 pm | 11 am | 8 am | 8 am | 5 pm | 5 pm | 6 pm | 6 pm | 3 pm | 10 am | 12 pm | 1 pm |
| Sunshine per day | 6.9 h | 7.8 h | 8.5 h | 9.9 h | 10.7 h | 12.1 h | 12.2 h | 10.9 h | 9.1 h | 8.3 h | 7.7 h | 6.5 h |
| Relative humidity | 62% | 60% | 57% | 59% | 68% | 67% | 67% | 69% | 71% | 70% | 65% | 67% |
Air quality
Averaged over a shorter period (2022–2025) than the twenty-year averages above, and not counted towards good or best months.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air pollution (PM2.5) 2022–2025 | 6.5 µg/m³ | 7.3 µg/m³ | 6.8 µg/m³ | 7.4 µg/m³ | 9.4 µg/m³ | 14.3 µg/m³ | 13.5 µg/m³ | 11.2 µg/m³ | 8.2 µg/m³ | 5.7 µg/m³ | 5.9 µg/m³ | 7.1 µg/m³ |
| Air pollution (PM2.5, daily peak) 2022–2025 | 11.5 µg/m³ | 12.2 µg/m³ | 11 µg/m³ | 12.4 µg/m³ | 15 µg/m³ | 21.7 µg/m³ | 19.2 µg/m³ | 16.9 µg/m³ | 12.6 µg/m³ | 9 µg/m³ | 9.9 µg/m³ | 12.2 µg/m³ |
- Good 15 µg/m³ or less
- Fair 15 to 25 µg/m³
- Moderate 25 to 37.5 µg/m³
- Poor 37.5 to 50 µg/m³
- Very poor 50 to 75 µg/m³
- Extremely poor over 75 µg/m³
Each figure is compared with the World Health Organization's guideline for a day's air, 15 µg/m³ or less, and with its interim targets above that. The words are ours: the WHO does not name its steps. The figures are modelled monthly averages, so single days can be well above them. The daily peak is the average of each day's highest hour, shaded on the same scale.
World Heritage sites nearby
UNESCO World Heritage sites within 25 km, nearest first.
- Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville
2 km away