Will Pipes Freeze in Accomack County, VA? 8 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Accomack County
In a normal year Accomack County, VA gets 8 nights at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 23% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 62 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 8 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 8 nights of risk to under 1 night. A 12 ft heat-tape kit runs $17 to $37; an average burst-pipe repair is about $500.
Month by month
Nights at or below 20°F in a normal year.
First 32°F night is usually around 11/07, last around 04/04. For 20°F: 12/27 to 02/23.
How cold Accomack County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 31°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January: under 1 night a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 32°F | 37°F | 47°F | 56°F | 65°F | 70°F | 68°F | 63°F | 52°F | 42°F | 34°F |
Accomack County next to its neighbours
Somerset County, MD, 35 km north, gets 14 nights below 20°F to Accomack County's 8 nights. Northampton County, VA, 54 km south, gets 6 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accomack County, VA | - | 62 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Somerset County, MD | 35 km north | 77 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Northampton County, VA | 54 km south | 52 nights | 6 nights | 32°F |
| Northumberland County, VA | 56 km west | 73 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Lancaster County, VA | 58 km west | 79 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Mathews County, VA | 59 km southwest | 69 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Worcester County, MD | 64 km northeast | 85 nights | 17 nights | 30°F |
Accomack County within VA
Accomack County ranks 124 of 133 VA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Highland County, VA at 62 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Norfolk city, VA: 4 nights, winter lows near 35°F. At 2 ft, Accomack County sits 446 ft below the state's median county elevation of 448 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Painter (2 mi W), VA, 21 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.