Arlington, Virginia Weather
Fireflies rise from the lawn. Day 78 of spring. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →
Arlington weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar
- TodayJun 5Overcast——95°62°—
- SaturdayJun 6Overcast15%—95°71°0°
- SundayJun 7Drizzle15%—90°68°-5°
- MondayJun 8Overcast——82°62°-8°
- TuesdayJun 9Overcast——84°55°+2°
- WednesdayJun 10Overcast19%—83°61°-1°
- ThursdayJun 11Drizzle16%0.02″79°66°-4°
AQI 45 (Good), driven by PM2.5. AQI down 46 over the last 6 hours — air quality is improving sharply. PM2.5 at 19.8 µg/m³ (AQI 71) with a 0.97 fine-to-coarse ratio and 5 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.
OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.
What's driving it
PM × Wind × Precip
PM2.5 at 19.8 µg/m³ (AQI 71) with a 0.97 fine-to-coarse ratio and 5 mph wind — combustion smoke trapped in calm air, not road dust.
- PM2.5/PM10
- 0.97
- Wind
- light
- Recent rain
- 0h in last 6h
- Pattern
- stagnant smoke
NO₂ × Time of day
NO₂ at AQI 34 during overnight — within the expected overnight baseline, no source signature.
- Present
- AQI 34
- Phase
- overnight calm
- Pattern
- traffic typical
Trends
Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.
Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).
The higher the clouds, the finer the weather.
- Moonrise
- 4:04 AM
- Moonset
- 2:15 PM
- In sign
- ♒︎ Aquarius
Fireflies rise from the lawn
Arlington at a glance
- Today vs. normal: 5°F below the seasonal normal for this latitude
- Last frost: April 9 (climatological average for this latitude)
- Microseason: Jun 1–5
- Planting window: Harvest spring lettuce before it bolts. Sow heat-tolerant greens.
Right now in the garden
Peak growing season
As of June 5, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.
SPC Convective Outlook
Storm Prediction Center — Arlington
SPC has placed Arlington in the General Thunderstorms category for severe thunderstorms day after tomorrow.
- TODAYNONENo severe risk
- TOMORROWNONENo severe risk
- DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms
Thunderstorms possible. Not severe, but capable of producing lightning and brief heavy rain.
Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.
Planting calendar
| Month | Plant | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | — |
| February | — | — |
| March | — | — |
| April | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes | — |
| May | lettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| June | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | lettuce, peas, radishes |
| July | tomatoes, peppers, beans, squash | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| August | — | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| September | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | tomatoes, beans, summer squash |
| October | fall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrots | winter squash, tomatoes (last) |
| November | — | — |
| December | — | — |
A year in weather
July brings Arlington's peak temperatures at around 80°F mean, while January delivers the year's coldest weather at approximately 36°F. Precipitation follows a different pattern, with July receiving the most rainfall at 4.6 inches and February recording the least at 2.8 inches.
| Month | Mean temp | Precip | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 36° | 3.0″ | 6 |
| February | 39° | 2.8″ | 5 |
| March | 46° | 4.0″ | 7 |
| April | 57° | 3.4″ | 7 |
| May | 67° | 4.3″ | 8 |
| June | 76° | 4.6″ | 8 |
| July | 80° | 4.6″ | 7 |
| August | 79° | 3.7″ | 7 |
| September | 72° | 4.1″ | 6 |
| October | 59° | 4.2″ | 5 |
| November | 49° | 3.2″ | 5 |
| December | 41° | 3.7″ | 7 |
Regional context
Climate classification places Arlington in the warm-summer humid continental zone, connecting it with nearby cities that experience comparable temperature ranges, seasonal transitions, and growing conditions.
Similar climates: Fredericksburg, VA, Alexandria, VA, Charlottesville, VA, Winchester, VA, Harrisonburg, VA.
Naturalist notes
Late May brings the peak blooming period for tulip trees, their large yellow-green flowers appearing high in the canopy throughout Arlington's parks and neighborhoods.
Wood thrushes return from their winter grounds in early May, their flute-like songs echoing through wooded areas as they establish territories for the breeding season.
Frequently asked
- When does it freeze in Arlington?
- Mid-April typically marks Arlington's last spring frost, while the first fall frost usually occurs around mid-November.
- What is the rainy season in Arlington?
- July receives the heaviest rainfall with approximately 4.6 inches on average, contributing to the city's annual total of roughly 46 inches.
- What is the warmest month in Arlington?
- July records the highest temperatures, with averages around 80°F.
- What is the coldest month in Arlington?
- January brings the coldest weather, averaging approximately 36°F.
- When can I start a vegetable garden in Arlington?
- Cool-season vegetables like peas and lettuce can be planted around the last spring frost in mid-April, while warm-season crops such as tomatoes and peppers should wait 1–2 weeks after that date.
- How many rainy days does Arlington get?
- Approximately 79 rainy days occur in Arlington each year.
- What hardiness zone is Arlington?
- USDA hardiness zone designation for Arlington depends on average minimum winter temperatures; the USDA's online ZIP code lookup tool provides the current official zone classification.
Climate
Arlington, Virginia experiences a warm-summer humid continental climate. Winter temperatures in January hover around 36°F, while July brings averages near 80°F, creating a 44°F seasonal temperature range.
Annual precipitation totals about 46 inches, distributed across roughly 79 rainy days throughout the year.
Location at 38.9°N latitude, along with proximity to large water bodies and local elevation, determines the area's growing patterns, frost timing, and daily weather characteristics.