Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
CautionChance of thunderstorms near Asheville around 2:30 PM EDT.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Washington7 AM EDT Slight chance of light rain showers61°F Strasburg8:30 AM EDT Cloudy58°F Harrisonburg9 AM EDT Chance of light rain showers57°F Salem10:45 AM EDT Rain showers likely64°F Wytheville11:45 AM EDT Rain showers66°F Bristol12:45 PM EDT Light rain showers likely73°F Johnson City1:30 PM EDT Chance of light rain showers77°F Sams Gap2 PM EDT Chance of light rain showers66°F Asheville2:30 PM EDT Chance of thunderstorms77°F - SunOct 4
CautionRain showers near Bristol around 12:45 PM EDT.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Washington7 AM EDT Chance of light rain showers61°F Strasburg8:30 AM EDT Rain showers likely58°F Harrisonburg9 AM EDT Rain showers58°F Salem10:45 AM EDT Light rain showers likely61°F Wytheville11:45 AM EDT Chance of light rain showers61°F Bristol12:45 PM EDT Rain showers68°F Johnson City1:30 PM EDT Rain showers70°F Sams Gap2 PM EDT Rain showers60°F Asheville2:30 PM EDT Rain showers68°F - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 57–75°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Washington7 AM EDT Mostly cloudy60°F Strasburg8:30 AM EDT Partly sunny57°F Harrisonburg9 AM EDT Partly sunny58°F Salem10:45 AM EDT Partly sunny66°F Wytheville11:45 AM EDT Partly sunny63°F Bristol12:45 PM EDT Partly sunny69°F Johnson City1:30 PM EDT Mostly sunny71°F Sams Gap2 PM EDT Mostly sunny61°F Asheville2:30 PM EDT Partly sunny75°F - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 44–69°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Washington7 AM EDT Sunny48°F Strasburg8:30 AM EDT Sunny44°F Harrisonburg9 AM EDT Sunny46°F Salem10:45 AM EDT Mostly sunny57°F Wytheville11:45 AM EDT Mostly sunny56°F Bristol12:45 PM EDT Mostly sunny66°F Johnson City1:30 PM EDT Mostly sunny69°F Sams Gap2 PM EDT Mostly sunny58°F Asheville2:30 PM EDT Mostly sunny67°F - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 44–70°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Washington7 AM EDT Sunny46°F Strasburg8:30 AM EDT Sunny44°F Harrisonburg9 AM EDT Mostly sunny47°F Salem10:45 AM EDT Sunny56°F Wytheville11:45 AM EDT Sunny58°F Bristol12:45 PM EDT Mostly sunny66°F Johnson City1:30 PM EDT Mostly sunny70°F Sams Gap2 PM EDT Mostly sunny58°F Asheville2:30 PM EDT Sunny69°F - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 48–74°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Washington7 AM EDT Mostly sunny49°F Strasburg8:30 AM EDT Sunny48°F Harrisonburg9 AM EDT Mostly sunny51°F Salem10:45 AM EDT Sunny60°F Wytheville11:45 AM EDT Sunny63°F Bristol12:45 PM EDT Sunny68°F Johnson City1:30 PM EDT Mostly sunny72°F Sams Gap2 PM EDT Sunny61°F Asheville2:30 PM EDT Sunny74°F - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 51–75°F along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Washington7 AM EDT Mostly sunny52°F Strasburg8:30 AM EDT Mostly sunny51°F Harrisonburg9 AM EDT Mostly sunny53°F Salem10:45 AM EDT Mostly sunny62°F Wytheville11:45 AM EDT Mostly sunny63°F Bristol12:45 PM EDT Mostly sunny69°F Johnson City1:30 PM EDT Mostly sunny73°F Sams Gap2 PM EDT Mostly sunny62°F Asheville2:30 PM EDT Mostly sunny75°F
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Washington (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Washington, DCStart 23 ftelevation
- Strasburg, VAMile 81 · 1 h 23 min 571 ftelevation
- Harrisonburg, VAMile 131 · 2 h 7 min 1,324 ftelevation
- Salem, VAMile 238 · 3 h 47 min 1,074 ftelevation
- Wytheville, VAMile 306 · 4 h 50 min 2,313 ftelevation
- Bristol, TNMile 375 · 5 h 52 min 1,667 ftelevation
- Johnson City, TNMile 411 · 6 h 26 min 1,619 ftelevation
- Sams Gap, NCMountain pass · Mile 442 · 6 h 58 min 3,760 ftelevation
- Asheville, NCMile 470 · 7 h 28 min 2,219 ftelevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with an inch or more of snow, at Washington, Wytheville and Asheville.
| Month | Washington Reagan National Airport station · 10 ft | Wytheville 2,458 ft | Asheville 2,238 ft | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | High / low °F | Snow days | |
| Jan | 45° / 30° | 1.3 | 42° / 24° | 1.7 | 48° / 29° | 0.9 |
| Feb | 48° / 32° | 1.3 | 46° / 26° | 1.7 | 52° / 32° | 0.8 |
| Mar | 57° / 39° | 0.6 | 54° / 31° | 0.7 | 59° / 38° | 0.4 |
| Apr | 68° / 48° | 0 | 65° / 39° | 0.1 | 69° / 46° | 0.1 |
| May | 77° / 58° | 0 | 73° / 49° | 0 | 76° / 54° | 0 |
| Jun | 85° / 68° | 0 | 79° / 57° | 0 | 83° / 61° | 0 |
| Jul | 90° / 72° | 0 | 83° / 61° | 0 | 86° / 65° | 0 |
| Aug | 88° / 71° | 0 | 82° / 60° | 0 | 85° / 64° | 0 |
| Sep | 81° / 64° | 0 | 77° / 53° | 0 | 79° / 58° | 0 |
| Oct | 69° / 52° | 0 | 67° / 41° | 0 | 69° / 47° | 0 |
| Nov | 58° / 42° | 0 | 56° / 31° | 0.1 | 59° / 37° | 0.2 |
| Dec | 49° / 35° | 0.5 | 46° / 27° | 1.1 | 51° / 32° | 0.7 |
NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020: WASHINGTON REAGAN AP (USW00013743, 10 ft); WYTHEVILLE (USC00449301, 2,458 ft); ASHEVILLE (USW00013872, 2,238 ft). Snow days are days with at least 1 inch of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for District of Columbia, Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina rather than repeat them.
- District of Columbia · DDOTDDOT traffic advisories and closures
- Virginia · VDOTVirginia 511 road conditions
- Tennessee · TDOTSmartWay road conditions
- North Carolina · NCDOTDriveNC road conditions
Check the official National Weather Service forecast and each state's road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Washington to Asheville with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Washington to Asheville?
470 miles, about 7½ hours of driving without stops, by way of I-66 and I-81. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Sams Gap, at 3,760 ft. It comes at mile 442, about 6 h 58 min of driving after you leave Washington.
How cold is Asheville in January?
Asheville averages a high of 48°F and a low of 29°F in January (1991–2020 normals).