Published 5 min readLakes
Smith Mountain Lake Weather by Month for Renters (NOAA Normals)
Quick answer
NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals for the Rocky Mount (temperature) and Huddleston 4 SW (precipitation) stations show average highs from 47.0°F (January) to 86.6°F (July) and average lows from 26.4°F (January) to 64.8°F (July). September is the wettest month (4.59 in) and February the driest (2.76 in). On BnB Search, the Smith Mountain Lake vacation rentals hub lists 147 places, 121 of them individual stays. Sources are linked at the end.
Smith Mountain Lake climate at a glance (NOAA 1991–2020)
- Temperature station: Rocky Mount (NOAA ID USC00447338), elevation about 1,315 ft.
- Precipitation station: Huddleston 4 SW (NOAA ID USC00444148), elevation about 897 ft.
- Warmest average high: 86.6°F in July.
- Coldest average low: 26.4°F in January.
- Wettest month: September, 4.59 in of precipitation.
- Driest month: February, 2.76 in.
- Snowfall: 2.0 in in February, the snowiest month.
Why this matters for renters: the numbers below tell you what to pack and what to ask a host before you book. They do not say when to go; that depends on what you want to do.
Monthly normals table
| Month | Avg high (°F) | Avg low (°F) | Precip (in) | Snowfall (in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 47.0 | 26.4 | 3.54 | 1.5 |
| February | 50.8 | 27.2 | 2.76 | 2.0 |
| March | 58.8 | 33.6 | 3.74 | 1.1 |
| April | 69.6 | 41.7 | 3.59 | 0.1 |
| May | 76.2 | 51.6 | 4.10 | 0.0 |
| June | 83.2 | 60.3 | 4.12 | 0.0 |
| July | 86.6 | 64.8 | 3.40 | 0.0 |
| August | 85.2 | 63.0 | 3.37 | 0.0 |
| September | 78.6 | 56.0 | 4.59 | 0.0 |
| October | 69.7 | 43.8 | 3.49 | 0.0 |
| November | 59.1 | 33.5 | 3.38 | 0.0 |
| December | 50.0 | 29.0 | 3.66 | 1.2 |
About this data
These are NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals. Temperatures come from the Rocky Mount station (ID USC00447338), elevation 401 m (about 1,315 ft), about 17 miles southwest of the middle of our Smith Mountain Lake listing pins. Precipitation and snowfall come from the Huddleston 4 SW station (ID USC00444148), elevation 273 m (about 897 ft), about 5 miles northeast of the middle of the pins. NOAA computed the high-temperature normal from 26–28 years of data, the low from 18–27 and precipitation from 28–30 and snowfall from 26–30; its completeness flags for these values are R and S ("S" standard, "R" representative, as defined in NOAA's documentation). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast: any given week can be much warmer, colder, wetter or drier.
The closer Huddleston station has precipitation and snowfall normals but no temperature normals, so temperatures come from Rocky Mount.
The Huddleston 4 SW station is about 4 miles southwest of Huddleston, per its NOAA name.
Packing notes from the numbers
- Average lows are at or below 32°F in January, February and December. Pack warm layers for evenings and mornings in those months.
- Average lows are between 33°F and 45°F in March, April, October and November, so a jacket is useful after dark.
- Average precipitation is 4 inches or more in May, June and September. A rain jacket or umbrella is worth packing.
What our Smith Mountain Lake listings show
These counts come from BnB Search's own directory data and change when listings are added or removed.
- 147 listings in total: 121 individual stays, 2 resorts, inns or lodging businesses, 18 rental companies, property managers or real estate offices and 6 other local listings that are not rentals.
- Area tags: Huddleston 89, Moneta 28, Peninsula 3, Bedford 1. Our area tags are broad, so open the map pin to see exactly where a listing is.
- Words in the stay titles: of the 121 stays, 29 mention lakefront, waterfront or lake access; 26 mention a dock; 2 mention a lake view; 17 mention a hot tub or spa; 9 mention a pool; 24 mention pets or dogs; 6 mention cabin; 14 mention condo. Hosts write these titles themselves, so confirm each feature before you book.
Browse them on the Smith Mountain Lake hub (map and filters) or in the full Smith Mountain Lake listings directory.
Before you book a Smith Mountain Lake rental
- For a stay in January, February and December, ask the host how the driveway and access road are cleared after snow or ice, and whether a 4WD or AWD vehicle is recommended.
- Ask whether the heating system, hot tub and any pipes are winterized or kept running, and who to call if the heat fails.
- For July and August, when average highs are 85°F or more, confirm the rental has air conditioning in the bedrooms, not just the living area.
- For May, June and September, read the cancellation and weather policy before you book, and plan an indoor backup for rainy days.
- Check a current forecast from the National Weather Service (weather.gov) a few days before you travel; normals do not replace a forecast.
FAQ
Which month is warmest and which is coldest at the Rocky Mount station?
July has the highest average high (86.6°F). January has the lowest average low (26.4°F). These are 1991–2020 normals.
Which month is wettest?
September, with 4.59 inches of average precipitation. February is the driest at 2.76 inches. These figures are from the Huddleston 4 SW station.
How many Smith Mountain Lake rentals does BnB Search list?
147 listings, including 121 individual stays. The rest are lodging businesses, rental companies or other local listings.
Does BnB Search book the stay?
No. Compare on the hub, then book on the site linked from the listing.
Sources
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, Rocky Mount station (USC00447338)
- NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 monthly normals data file for USC00447338 (CSV)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, Huddleston 4 SW station (USC00444148)
- NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 monthly normals data file for USC00444148 (CSV)
- NOAA NCEI monthly normals documentation (completeness flags)
Related
Smith Mountain Lake facts for rental guests · Smith Mountain Lake first-time visitor checklist · Smith Mountain Lake winter packing · Smith Mountain Lake vacation rentals · All Smith Mountain Lake listings