A boat in Virginia is laid up for about 3 months a year at Richmond, and the median first 32°F night arrives November 4 at Richmond (NOAA 1991-2020). 154 boat storage facilities are listed in Virginia, 87 with indoor or climate-controlled space.
| Month | Richmond high / low | boat | Richmond snow | Norfolk high / low | boat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48° / 29° | laid up | 3.7 in | 51° / 34° | laid up |
| Feb | 52° / 30° | laid up | 2.2 in | 53° / 35° | launch or haul-out |
| Mar | 60° / 37° | launch or haul-out | 1.1 in | 60° / 41° | launch or haul-out |
| Apr | 70° / 46° | in the water | 0.0 in | 70° / 50° | in the water |
| May | 78° / 56° | in the water | 0.0 in | 77° / 59° | in the water |
| Jun | 86° / 65° | in the water | 0.0 in | 85° / 68° | in the water |
| Jul | 90° / 69° | in the water | 0.0 in | 89° / 73° | in the water |
| Aug | 88° / 68° | in the water | 0.0 in | 87° / 72° | in the water |
| Sep | 81° / 61° | in the water | 0.0 in | 81° / 67° | in the water |
| Oct | 71° / 49° | in the water | 0.0 in | 72° / 55° | in the water |
| Nov | 60° / 39° | launch or haul-out | 0.0 in | 62° / 44° | launch or haul-out |
| Dec | 52° / 32° | laid up | 1.8 in | 55° / 38° | launch or haul-out |
Boat column rule: in the water at a 65°F high and 45°F low or warmer; launch or haul-out from a 52°F high; laid up below.
By that rule a boat at Richmond has 7 months in the water (April to October), 2 of launch or haul-out and 3 laid up. By that rule a boat at Norfolk has 7 months in the water (April to October), 4 of launch or haul-out and 1 laid up.
Virginia freezes in short spells: Richmond has about 73.5 freezing nights but only 4.7 days that stay below 32°F, and those overnight freezes are what crack a boat that was not drained.
154 live listings in 46 cities; by listed type: 87 indoor, 14 covered, 145 outdoor and 1 wet-slip (types overlap). No Virginia boat storage listing publishes a rate on StowHelp.
| Facility | City | Listed storage | Listed amenities | Also listed for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Self Storage | Alexandria | indoor, outdoor | ||
| BRB Storage | Virginia Beach | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| Old Dominion Boat Club | Alexandria | indoor, outdoor | Jet Ski | |
| Sentry Self Storage of Churchland | Chesapeake | indoor, outdoor | ||
| Extra Space Storage - Newport News | Newport News | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| Hampton Boat and RV Storage | Hampton | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| America's Best Storage | Suffolk | indoor, outdoor | ||
| Virginia Boat & Yacht Service | Portsmouth | indoor, outdoor | Jet Ski | |
| Dandy Haven Marina | Hampton | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| StorageMart | Chesapeake | indoor, outdoor | ||
| American Self Storage | Norfolk | indoor, outdoor | ||
| Dukes Creek Marina | Bumpass | outdoor | ||
| Cape Charles Town Harbor | Cape Charles | outdoor | ||
| Oyster Farm Marina | Cape Charles | outdoor | ||
| U-Haul | Richmond | outdoor | Car, RV, Motorcycle | |
| Fairfield Self Storage | Virginia Beach | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski | |
| Knitting Mill Creek Yacht Club | Norfolk | indoor, outdoor | Jet Ski | |
| Central Virginia Indoor Boat & RV Storage | Palmyra | indoor, outdoor, covered | Jet Ski |
| City | Boat Storage listings | Indoor | Climate-controlled | Outdoor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach | 34 | 24 | 0 | 25 |
| Norfolk | 32 | 31 | 0 | 32 |
| Chesapeake | 14 | 11 | 0 | 14 |
| Hampton | 8 | 7 | 0 | 8 |
| Portsmouth | 8 | 7 | 0 | 8 |
| Alexandria | 6 | 4 | 0 | 6 |
| Cape Charles | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Ashburn | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Leesburg | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Abingdon | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
NOAA's 1991-2020 median first 32°F night is November 4 at Richmond and November 23 at Norfolk; winterize by October 21, two weeks ahead of the earlier date. By our boat rule Richmond stays in the water through October and Norfolk through October, then 2 months of launch or haul-out follow at Richmond. 87 Virginia listings offer indoor or climate-controlled space.
3 at Richmond (November to March) and 1 at Norfolk (November to March), plus 2 and 4 months of launch or haul-out. Those laid up months hold 7.7 of the 8.8 inches of snow Richmond averages a year (88%), which is the load on a cover or carport roof. At Richmond a boat is in the water from April to October (7 months), against 7 at Norfolk.
Of 154 live Virginia listings, 87 list indoor space and 0 climate-controlled units, against 145 outdoor and 14 covered. By city: Virginia Beach (34 listed, 24 indoor), Norfolk (32 listed, 31 indoor), Chesapeake (14 listed, 11 indoor) and Hampton (8 listed, 7 indoor). Most indoor listings: Norfolk (31), Virginia Beach (24) and Chesapeake (11). Ask whether indoor means heated; listings span 46 cities in all.
At Richmond, 2 months average a low at or below 32°F, all of them laid up months by our boat rule. Richmond logs 73.5 nights at or below 32°F and 0.2 at or below 0°F a year; January, the coldest month, averages 28.8°F and is laid up for a boat.
After the last frost. The median last 32°F night is April 3 at Richmond and March 17 at Norfolk; the last 28°F hard freeze comes around March 22 and March 4. Our rule makes April the first month in the water at Richmond and April at Norfolk. That month Richmond averages a 46.4°F low and a 70.4°F high. Reverse each winterization step first.
Virginia boat storage listings span 46 cities, led by Virginia Beach (34 listed), Norfolk (32 listed), Chesapeake (14 listed), Hampton (8 listed) and Portsmouth (8 listed). For outdoor winter parking, Norfolk (32 outdoor) and Virginia Beach (25 outdoor) lead. Statewide, 145 list outdoor, 14 covered and 87 indoor or climate-controlled spaces. Compare the cities nearest you before November 4.
NOAA NCEI Climate Normals 1991-2020 (USW00013740, USW00013737); NOAA AOML hurricane impacts 1851-2025; StowHelp listings 2026-10-07 (methodology).