The climate of Virginia Beach is humid subtropical, a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and cool winters. The mean annual temperature is 59.6 °F (15.3 °C), with an average annual snowfall of 8.1 inches (210 mm) and an average annual rainfall of 45 inches (1,100 mm). The wettest seasons are the spring and summer, although rainfall is fairly constant all year round. Virginia Beach's geographic location, with respect to the principal storm tracks, is especially favorable. It is south of the average path of storms originating in the higher latitudes, and north of the usual tracks of hurricanes and other major tropical storms.