The Commonwealth of Virginia  is an American state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. The state is known as the "Old Dominion" and sometimes as "Mother of Presidents", because it is the birthplace of eight U.S. presidents. The geography of the state is shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay, home to much of the state's flora and fauna. The capital of the commonwealth is Richmond, Virginia Beach is the most populous city, and Fairfax County is the most populous political subdivision. The state population is nearly eight million.

 
                          
   The climate of Virginia varies according to location. Most of the state east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, as well as the southern part of the Shenandoah Valley, to the Atlantic coast has a humid subtropical climate . This climate becomes increasingly warmer farther south and east in the state. In areas west of the Blue Ridge, the climate becomes a humid continental climate. Seasonally, Virginia experiences seasonal extremes, from average lows of 26 °F in January to average highs of 86 °F  in July.
   Thunderstorms are a regular occurrence, and the state has an average of thirty-five to forty-five days of thunderstorm activity annually, with an average annual precipitation of 42.7 inches. Additionally, the western part of the state experiences more thunderstorms.