Editing Virginia (section)

===Climate===

{{Main|Climate of Virginia}}
{{See also|Climate change in Virginia}}
{{climate chart|Virginia state-wide averages 1895–2023
|25.2|44.7|3.3
|26.3|47.5|3.1
|33.6|56.4|3.7
|42.0|66.6|3.4
|51.4|75.5|4.0
|59.8|82.4|4.1
|64.1|85.8|4.6
|62.8|84.1|4.3
|56.3|78.6|3.7
|44.5|68.4|3.2
|34.6|57.1|2.9
|27.4|47.2|3.3
|float=right
|units=imperial
|source=[[#CITEREFNOAA|U.S. Climate Divisional Dataset]]
}}

Virginia has a [[humid subtropical climate]] that transitions to [[Humid continental climate|humid continental]] west of the [[Blue Ridge Mountains]].{{sfn|Hamilton|2016|pp=12–13}} Seasonal extremes vary from average lows of {{convert|25|°F|°C|0}} in January to average highs of {{convert|86|°F|°C|0}} in July.<ref name=noaa/> The Atlantic Ocean and [[Gulf Stream]] have a strong effect on eastern and southeastern coastal areas, making the climate there warmer but also more constant. Most of Virginia's recorded extremes in temperature and precipitation have occurred in the Blue Ridge Mountains and areas west.<ref name=Burnham/> Virginia receives an average of {{convert|43.47|in|cm|0}} of precipitation annually,<ref name=noaa>{{cite web |url= https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/cag/statewide/time-series/44/pcp/ann/1/1895-2023?base_prd=true&begbaseyear=1895&endbaseyear=2023 |title= Climate at a Glance |date= January 2024 |website= NOAA National Centers for Environmental information |author= U.S. Climate Divisional Dataset |access-date= January 11, 2024 |ref=CITEREFNOAA}}</ref> with the [[Shenandoah Valley]] being the state's driest region.<ref name=Burnham/>

Virginia has around 35–45 days with thunderstorms annually, and storms are common in the late afternoon and evenings between April and September.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.dcmilitary.com/pentagram/news/news_notes/severe-weather-awareness-for-spring-summer/article_434e2ce1-5441-5b2f-9113-d61f3ff1702f.html |title= Severe weather awareness for spring, summer  |website= Pentagram |first= Jim |last= Dresbach |date= April 11, 2019 |access-date= May 29, 2020}}</ref> These months are also the most common for [[tornado]]es,<ref>{{cite news |url= https://wset.com/news/local/annual-tornado-drill-in-virginia-will-be-held-march-17 |title= Annual tornado drill in Virginia will be held March 17 |agency= Associated Press |date= February 12, 2020 |website= WSET-TV |access-date= May 29, 2020}}</ref> eight of which touched down in the Commonwealth in 2023.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/summary/?month=00&year=2023&state=VA |title= Annual Severe Weather Report Summary |website= NOAA / National Weather Service |date= December 31, 2023 |access-date= January 12, 2023}}</ref> [[List of Virginia hurricanes|Hurricanes]] and tropical storms can occur from August to October. The deadliest natural disaster in Virginia was [[Hurricane Camille#Virginia|Hurricane Camille]], which killed over 150 people in 1969 mainly in inland [[Nelson County, Virginia|Nelson County]].<ref name=Burnham/><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/08/19/virginias-deadliest-natural-disaster-unfolded-years-ago-hurricane-camille/ |title= Virginia's deadliest natural disaster unfolded 50 years ago from Hurricane Camille |first= Jeff |last= Halverson |date= August 19, 2019 |newspaper= The Washington Post |access-date= May 29, 2020}}</ref> Between December and March, [[cold-air damming]] caused by the Appalachian Mountains can lead to significant snowfalls across the state, such as the [[January 2016 United States blizzard|January 2016 blizzard]], which created the state's highest recorded one-day snowfall of {{convert|36.6|in|cm}} near [[Bluemont, Virginia|Bluemont]].<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2018/02/07/your-primer-to-understanding-mid-atlantic-cold-air-damming-and-the-wedge/ |title= Your primer to understanding Mid-Atlantic cold air damming and 'the wedge' |first= Jeff |last= Halverson |newspaper= The Washington Post |date= February 7, 2018 |access-date= May 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://patch.com/virginia/vienna/snowiest-day-record-day-fairfax-co-saw-25-5-inches-fall |title= Snowiest Day On Record: The Day Fairfax Co. Saw 25.5 Inches Fall |first= Emily |last= Leayman |website= Patch |date= January 22, 2020 |access-date= May 29, 2020}}</ref> On average, cities in Virginia can receive between {{convert|5.8|-|12.3|in|cm}} of snow annually, but recent winters have seen below-average snowfalls, and much of Virginia had no measurable snow during the 2022–2023 winter season.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/monthly-report/national/202202/supplemental/page-5 |title= Winter Snowfall Departure from Average |website= NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information |date= March 2022 |access-date= April 10, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://richmond.com/weather/we-give-our-virginia-winter-forecast-a-b/article_2b8c8e76-b869-11ed-8586-47e1d026fa8e.html |title= We give our Virginia winter forecast a B |first= Sean |last= Sublette |newspaper= The Richmond Times-Dispatch |date= March 1, 2023 |access-date= April 10, 2023}}</ref>

[[Climate change in Virginia]] is leading to higher temperatures year-round as well as more heavy rain and flooding events.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/Virginia-summers-getting-more-hot-and-humid-385709001.html |title= Virginia summers getting more hot and humid |first= Brent |last= Watts |website= WDBJ-TV |date= July 6, 2016 |access-date= May 29, 2020}}</ref> [[Urban heat island]]s can be found in many Virginia cities and suburbs, particularly in neighborhoods linked to historic [[redlining]].<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.virginiamercury.com/blog-va/there-may-be-a-link-between-urban-heat-islands-and-past-redlining-practices-study-finds/ |title= In Virginia and U.S., urban heat islands and past redlining practices may be linked, study finds |newspaper= The Virginia Mercury |first= Sarah |last= Vogelsong |date= January 15, 2020 |access-date= May 29, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/08/24/climate/racism-redlining-cities-global-warming.html |title= How Decades of Racist Housing Policy Left Neighborhoods Sweltering |first1= Brad |last1= Plumer |first2= Nadja |last2= Popovich |newspaper= The New York Times |date= August 24, 2020 |access-date= August 25, 2020}}</ref> The air in Virginia has statistically improved since 1998.<ref name=haze>{{cite news |url= https://www.roanoke.com/weather/weather-journal-you-really-can-see-more-clearly-on-hot-summer-days-than-you-used/article_08e9554d-1435-570a-926c-6e06b2d4ce1f.html |title= Weather Journal: You really can see more clearly on hot summer days than you used to |first= Kevin |last= Myatt |date= August 27, 2019 |newspaper= The Roanoke Star |access-date= May 29, 2020}}</ref> The closure and conversion of [[coal power plant]]s in Virginia and the Ohio Valley region has helped cut the amount of [[Particulate pollution|particulate matter]] in Virginia's air in half.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://energynews.us/2020/12/16/report-dominion-energy-must-start-planning-now-for-coal-plant-transition/ |title=  Report: Dominion Energy must start planning now for coal plant transition |website= Energy News Network |first= Elizabeth |last= McGowan |date= December 16, 2020 |access-date= April 2, 2021}}</ref><ref name=eiaco>{{Cite web |url= https://www.eia.gov/electricity/data/browser/#/topic/0?agg=2,0,1&fuel=vvvvu&geo=00000001&sec=g&freq=A&start=2001&end=2021&ctype=linechart&ltype=pin&rtype=s&pin=&rse=0&maptype=0 |title= Electricity Data Browser, Net generation for all sectors, Virginia, Fuel Type-Check all, Annual, 2001–23 |website = U.S. Energy Information Administration |access-date = May 1, 2024}}</ref> Current plans call for 30% of the Commonwealth's electricity to be renewable by 2030 and for all to be carbon-free by 2050.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://apnews.com/97033f76286b4fd0ad0f25fb4108e627 |title= Virginia to develop 4 new solar energy projects |first= Jimmy |last= O'Keefe |work= Associated Press |date= October 4, 2019 |access-date= November 22, 2019 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191122230741/https://apnews.com/97033f76286b4fd0ad0f25fb4108e627 |archive-date= November 22, 2019 |url-status= live}}</ref>