The climate of the Virginia colony of 1607 was on average about 3 1/2 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than it is today. This is the primary weather difference between the colony and the climate of the modern state.
From a period of roughly 1403 to 1850, the Northern Hemisphere was gripped by what climatologists have since dubbed 'The Little Ice Age'. This meant a milder spring and autumn, but also colder winters. This period of decreased temperature made growing seasons shorter and winters harsher. This made life difficult for the early colonists, who became more vulnerable to disease from lack of food and eventual starvation.
