Salem (VA) Temperature by Month

The average annual maximum temperature in Salem, Virginia, United States of America is 20°C (68°F), with daytime highs ranging from 8°C (46°F) in January to 30°C (86°F) in July. This page covers monthly averages, day-night differences, and how Salem compares to cities worldwide.

The climate in Salem is dynamic, ranging widely from chilly in winter to very warm in summer. Nights are significantly colder, with lows dropping from 19°C (66°F) in July to -3°C (27°F) in January.

The chart below illustrates the average maximum day and minimum night temperatures in Salem by month:

The coldest point of the day usually falls between 4 AM and 6 AM, with temperatures peaking around 3 PM.

The chart below shows the average temperature throughout the year:

Salem's average annual maximum temperature is 20°C (68°F). To put that in context, here's how it compares to a few well-known destinations:

Lisbon, Portugal averages 21°C (70°F) annually, warm summers, mild winters, and rain mainly in the cooler months.

Glasgow, Scotland averages 13°C (55°F) a year, mild but often grey, with cold winters and rarely hot summers.

New York City, USA averages 17°C (63°F) a year, with hot humid summers and cold winters that bring regular snowfall.

Tokyo, Japan averages 21°C (70°F) a year, with hot summers, cool winters, and a well-defined cherry blossom spring.

Climate temperature data is typically calculated as a 30-year average. This smooths out year-to-year variability and gives a more reliable picture of what a place is actually like, rather than what happened in any single unusual year.

The readings come from a range of sources, land-based weather stations, ocean buoys, ships, and satellites. That data is collected by weather services around the world, then pooled, quality-checked, and averaged to produce the climate records you see here.

For cities and regions with significant elevation, altitude is one of the biggest factors shaping local temperatures. As a rule of thumb, temperatures fall by around 6°C for every 1,000 metres gained, so a city at 2,000 metres will typically be around 12°C cooler than a city at sea level in the same region. Higher ground also tends to see more dramatic day-to-night temperature swings, since thinner air loses heat faster after sunset.

For more on Salem's weather, including monthly rainfall, sunshine hours, and humidity, visit our Salem climate page.