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SunnyDays

ERA5 almanac — 8 years of real data

Shenandoah Valley in July

Shenandoah Valley in July: 39% of days see measurable rain, 87°F average high, 34% of days historically clear (n=248, ERA5 2018–2025).

Shenandoah Valley in July is historically a poor month for sun: only 34% of days clear across 8 years (n=248, avg high 87°F). Historical average, not a forecast.

What you are reading: 8-year historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis, not a forecast. A month that is historically 90% clear can still be overcast on your specific trip. For this week’s actual forecast, see the live Shenandoah Valley page. Both can be true at once: “historically strong in this month; this particular week is not.” We label which is which.

Early vs. Late July

Clear-sky percentage for Shenandoah Valley in July, split by half-month. “n” is the number of days sampled across 8 years (2018–2025).
Period % Clear days Sample (n) Avg high
Early July
1st–15th		 35% n=120 87°F
Late July
16th–end		 34% n=128 87°F
Full month average 34% n=248 87°F

Sunshine & warmth in July

A second measure using actual sunshine hours (ERA5 sunshine_duration), not the daily weather code. A Lowcountry day with 12 hours of sun and a 25-minute afternoon storm is counted below as a warm, sunny day — because it was. How we define this.

Sunshine-based metrics for Shenandoah Valley in July. Primary: % of days ≥ 72°F with > 6 h of sunshine.
Period Warm & sunny (≥72°F, >6 h sun) Sample (n)
Early July
1st–15th		 98% n=120
Late July
16th–end		 90% n=128
Full month average 94% n=248
13.1 h median sunshine per day 91% of days exceed 8 h sunshine 39% of days see ≥ 1 mm rain — rain is not hidden
Comparison (old vs new): WMO-code “clear” bar: 34%. Sunshine-based “warm & sunny”: 94%. The 60-point gap is from brief afternoon convective storms that stamp the whole day as “rain” in the WMO code but leave the bulk of the sunshine untouched.

Bottom line

Shenandoah Valley is mostly overcast in July historically: only 34% of days are clear across 8 years (n=248), avg high 87°F. Most visitors this month will see more clouds than sun.

Every month in Shenandoah Valley

Compare across all months with data. Numbers are historical clear-sky %.

Historical clear-sky % for Shenandoah Valley, all months, ERA5 2018–2025.
Month % Clear Sample (n)
January 0% n=248 All destinations →
February 1% n=226 All destinations →
March 2% n=248 All destinations →
April 14% n=240 All destinations →
May 18% n=248 All destinations →
June 39% n=240 All destinations →
July ← this page 34% n=248 All destinations →
August 34% n=248 All destinations →
September 36% n=240 All destinations →
October 17% n=248 All destinations →
November 4% n=240 All destinations →
December 0% n=248 All destinations →

Frequently asked

Does it rain in Shenandoah Valley in July?

Sometimes. Shenandoah Valley sees measurable rain on 39% of days in July historically (n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — not frequent enough to plan around, but not negligible either.

Is Shenandoah Valley good for sun in July?

It's mixed. Shenandoah Valley in July is clear on 34% of days historically (avg high 87°F, n=248 days, ERA5 2018–2025) — the outcome varies year to year.

How Shenandoah Valley compares in July

Head-to-head clear-sky comparisons against destinations travelers plausibly weigh against Shenandoah Valley this month — same passport tier, similar flight distance, both sides from the same 8-year ERA5 record.

All percentages are historical averages from the ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 8 full years (2018–2025). “Clear” means avg high ≥ 72 °F, precipitation < 1 mm, and a non-precipitation weather code. This is history, not a forecast. The live 7-day outlook for any destination is on its own page and may differ from the long-run average. Data from Open-Meteo.