Monitored days with good air quality
86.5%
2025 · U.S. EPA AirData
Annual fires
≈ 900
Area in drought (D1–D4), yearly average
24.4%
2025 · U.S. Drought Monitor
Total withdrawals
≈ 4.6 B gal/day
Energy-related CO₂ emissions
98
2021 · U.S. EIA State Energy Data System
Average annual temperature
56.5
2025 · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Air Quality
Pollution levels.
Monitored days with good air quality
86.5%
2025 · U.S. EPA AirData
Monitored days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse
0.1%
2025 · U.S. EPA AirData
Average PM2.5
7.6 µg/m³
Ozone alerts
Northern Virginia & Richmond
Monitored days with good air quality
1990–202586.5%
U.S. EPA AirData, Annual AQI by County, all monitored Virginia counties.
Monitored days unhealthy for sensitive groups or worse
1990–20250.1%
U.S. EPA AirData, Annual AQI by County (AQI above 100).
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Average PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 7.6 | 8.2 |
- •Shenandoah National Park's air quality has improved markedly since the 1990s Clean Air Act amendments.
Wildfires
Fire activity.
Annual fires
≈ 900
Acres burned
≈ 10,000
Risk level
Low to moderate
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Acres burned per year (thousands) | 10 | 7000 |
- •Most Virginia wildfires occur in spring, before trees leaf out, in the mountains west of the Blue Ridge.
Drought
Dry conditions.
Area in drought (D1–D4), yearly average
24.4%
2025 · U.S. Drought Monitor
Area in extreme or exceptional drought (D3–D4)
0.0%
2025 · U.S. Drought Monitor
Severe drought
Occasional
Risk level
Low to moderate
Area in drought (D1–D4), yearly average
2000–202524.4%
U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC / USDA / NOAA), average of weekly maps.
Area in extreme or exceptional drought (D3–D4)
2000–20250%
U.S. Drought Monitor (NDMC / USDA / NOAA), average of weekly maps.
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Share of area in drought (%) | 10 | 26 |
- •Virginia's droughts are usually short but can strain reservoirs serving Richmond and Hampton Roads.
Water Usage
Water withdrawals.
Total withdrawals
≈ 4.6 B gal/day
Main use
Thermoelectric power
Public supply
≈ 0.8 B gal/day
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Water withdrawals per capita (gal/day) | 520 | 1000 |
- •The Chesapeake Bay watershed covers about 60% of Virginia's land area.
Emissions
Greenhouse gases.
Energy-related CO₂ emissions
98
2021 · U.S. EIA State Energy Data System
Transportation CO₂ emissions
49.8
2021 · U.S. EIA State Energy Data System
Rank
22nd in the U.S.
Per capita
11.4 t
Energy-related CO₂ emissions
1970–202198▲ 13%
U.S. EIA State Energy Data System, all sectors and fuels (FRED EMISSCO2TOTVTTTOVAA).
Transportation CO₂ emissions
1970–202149.8▲ 56%
U.S. EIA State Energy Data System, transportation sector (FRED EMISSCO2TOTVTCTOVAA).
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| CO2 emissions per capita (t) | 11.4 | 14.4 |
- •Virginia joined and then left the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, making its carbon policy one of the most contested in the country.
Climate Indicators
Temperature and rainfall.
Average annual temperature
56.5
2025 · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Annual precipitation
43.4
2025 · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
Average temperature
13.5 °C
Warming since 1900
+0.7 °C
Average annual temperature
1895–202556.5▲ 6%
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance, statewide January–December average.
Annual precipitation
1895–202543.38▲ 12%
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance, statewide January–December total.
| Indicator | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| Annual precipitation (mm) | 1100 | 767 |
- •Norfolk has the fastest rate of relative sea-level rise on the U.S. Atlantic coast.