Will Pipes Freeze in Amelia County, VA? 20 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Amelia County
In a normal year Amelia County, VA gets 20 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 37% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs November to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 92 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 20 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 4 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 20 nights of risk to 4 nights. 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 11/02, last around 04/07. For 20°F: 12/11 to 03/02.
How cold Amelia County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, January, averages 28°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February: 4 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 29°F | 36°F | 45°F | 55°F | 64°F | 68°F | 66°F | 59°F | 48°F | 37°F | 31°F |
Amelia County next to its neighbours
Nottoway County, VA, 22 km south, gets 21 nights below 20°F to Amelia County's 20 nights. Chesterfield County, VA, 35 km east, gets 12 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amelia County, VA | - | 92 nights | 20 nights | 28°F |
| Nottoway County, VA | 22 km south | 97 nights | 21 nights | 27°F |
| Powhatan County, VA | 25 km north | 105 nights | 26 nights | 26°F |
| Cumberland County, VA | 32 km northwest | 106 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Chesterfield County, VA | 35 km east | 74 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Dinwiddie County, VA | 42 km southeast | 94 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
| Prince Edward County, VA | 42 km west | 99 nights | 21 nights | 26°F |
Amelia County within VA
Amelia County ranks 80 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 351 ft, Amelia County sits 97 ft below the state's median county elevation of 448 ft.
What to do here
- Insulate every pipe in unheated space before the season starts.
- Heat tape on the runs you cannot insulate well.
- Shut off and drain outdoor spigots for the season.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Amelia Courthouse, VA, 2 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. How a county figure is built from stations: how the numbers are made.