What is the hottest month at Shenandoah?

July, with an average high of 85°F and an average low of 62°F at Luray 5 E (valley, central district) (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The station averages 25 days a year at or above 90°F.

How cold does Shenandoah get in winter?

January is the coldest month, averaging a low of 23°F and a high of 43°F at Luray 5 E (valley, central district). About 112 nights a year drop to freezing or below.

Does it snow at Shenandoah?

Yes. Luray 5 E (valley, central district) averages 18.6 inches of snow a year, mostly in January, February, March and December. Higher ground in the park gets more.

When is the rainy season at Shenandoah?

September is the wettest month on average (5.4 inches of precipitation at Luray 5 E (valley, central district)); the station's annual total is 44.1 inches.

How many hours of daylight does Shenandoah get?

About 14h 50m on June 15 and 9h 30m on December 15 (sunrise 5:49 AM, sunset 8:39 PM in June; 7:24 AM to 4:54 PM in December, America/New York time).

What is the best month to visit Shenandoah for weather?

By NOAA's normals, average highs sit between 55°F and 85°F in April, May, June, August, September, October and November. Of those, April, May, June, August, September and November are also well below the park's peak crowds. Weather in the park varies with elevation; this is the Luray 5 E (valley, central district) station.

Weather by month

Shenandoah weather, month by month

Last verified October 6, 2026NOAA 1991–2020 normalsAmerica/New York time

Average highs, lows, rain, snow and daylight for every month. Measured at the Luray 5 E (valley, central district) (1,400 ft, 10.8 mi from Harry F. Byrd Sr. Visitor Center).

White-tailed bucks sparring in Big Meadows — Photo: NPS Photo / Neal Lewis

Jul high: 85°F; hottest month
Jan low: 23°F; coldest month
Rain + snowmelt: 44.1in / yr; wettest: Sep
Snowfall: 18.6in / yr; Dec–Mar
Days ≥ 90°F: 25/ yr
Nights ≤ 32°F: 112/ yr

Luray 5 E (valley, central district)

Month by month

Normals are 30-year averages (1991–2020). Crowds = each month’s share of the park’s busiest month, from NPS visitor counts. Sunrise and sunset are for the 15th of each month in 2027.

Average high and low, every monthbars run from the low to the high · tan strip = precipitation

Month	High	Low	Rain	Snow	Wet days	Sunrise	Sunset	Daylight	Crowds
Jan	43°	23°	2.9″	6.1″	10	7:30 AM	5:16 PM	9h 47m	8
Feb	47°	26°	2.5″	2.7″	8	7:05 AM	5:51 PM	10h 47m	9
Mar	55°	32°	3.6″	6.2″	11	7:25 AM	7:20 PM	11h 55m	23
Apr	67°	41°	3.5″	0.1″	12	6:38 AM	7:50 PM	13h 12m	40
May	74°	50°	4.2″	—	12	6:02 AM	8:18 PM	14h 16m	50
Jun	81°	58°	4.8″	—	11	5:49 AM	8:39 PM	14h 50m	53
Jul	85°	62°	4.1″	—	11	6:02 AM	8:38 PM	14h 36m	59
Aug	83°	61°	3.8″	—	11	6:28 AM	8:09 PM	13h 41m	56
Sep	78°	54°	5.4″	—	10	6:55 AM	7:23 PM	12h 28m	48
Oct	67°	43°	3.2″	0.1″	9	7:23 AM	6:37 PM	11h 14m	100
Nov	57°	34°	3.2″	0.4″	9	6:55 AM	5:01 PM	10h 06m	48
Dec	47°	28°	3.1″	3.0″	10	7:24 AM	4:54 PM	9h 30m	11

Sweet spot: April, May, June, August, September and November combine average highs between 55°F and 85°F with crowds under 60% of the peak month. Check what is open in those months — quiet can also mean closed roads.

How to read this

These are NOAA’s official 1991–2020 climate normals for one weather station, not a model of the whole park. The station is the one with complete temperature and precipitation normals nearest to a visitor center (we chose Luray 5 E (valley, central district) because it is Big Meadows, the only station on Skyline Drive, lacks complete normals; Luray is the nearest complete station to the park's central district (Thornton Gap / Skyland). The drive runs 2,000–3,000 ft higher.). Highs and lows are daily averages for the month; “wet days” are days with at least 0.01 inch of precipitation. Mountain parks can be 10–20 °F cooler at their high points than at the station, and the NPS weather page for Shenandoah is the place for current conditions and seasonal closures.

Sunrise and sunset are computed with the NOAA solar equations for the park’s coordinates and shown in America/New York time for the 15th of each month of 2027; they are accurate to about a minute.

Sources · 3

1.U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020 — monthly normals station inventory · National Centers for Environmental Information (NOAA)
2.Shenandoah National Park — Weather (nps.gov) · National Park Service
3.Shenandoah National Park — Visitor Use Statistics · National Park Service (IRMA)

FAQ

Shenandoah weather questions

What is the hottest month at Shenandoah?: July, with an average high of 85°F and an average low of 62°F at Luray 5 E (valley, central district) (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The station averages 25 days a year at or above 90°F.
How cold does Shenandoah get in winter?: January is the coldest month, averaging a low of 23°F and a high of 43°F at Luray 5 E (valley, central district). About 112 nights a year drop to freezing or below.
Does it snow at Shenandoah?: Yes. Luray 5 E (valley, central district) averages 18.6 inches of snow a year, mostly in January, February, March and December. Higher ground in the park gets more.
When is the rainy season at Shenandoah?: September is the wettest month on average (5.4 inches of precipitation at Luray 5 E (valley, central district)); the station's annual total is 44.1 inches.
How many hours of daylight does Shenandoah get?: About 14h 50m on June 15 and 9h 30m on December 15 (sunrise 5:49 AM, sunset 8:39 PM in June; 7:24 AM to 4:54 PM in December, America/New York time).
What is the best month to visit Shenandoah for weather?: By NOAA's normals, average highs sit between 55°F and 85°F in April, May, June, August, September, October and November. Of those, April, May, June, August, September and November are also well below the park's peak crowds. Weather in the park varies with elevation; this is the Luray 5 E (valley, central district) station.

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