Will Pipes Freeze in Amherst County, VA? 30 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Amherst County
In a normal year Amherst County, VA gets 30 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 46% 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 | 114 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 30 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 30 nights of risk to 5 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 10/23, last around 04/23. For 20°F: 11/21 to 03/15.
How cold Amherst County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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, December: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 26°F | 32°F | 42°F | 51°F | 60°F | 65°F | 63°F | 56°F | 44°F | 33°F | 28°F |
Amherst County next to its neighbours
Buena Vista city, VA, 21 km northwest, gets 31 nights below 20°F to Amherst County's 30 nights. Lynchburg city, VA, 26 km south, gets 27 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amherst County, VA | - | 114 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Buena Vista city, VA | 21 km northwest | 114 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
| Lynchburg city, VA | 26 km south | 115 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Nelson County, VA | 30 km northeast | 119 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Lexington city, VA | 31 km northwest | 119 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Rockbridge County, VA | 33 km northwest | 118 nights | 33 nights | 24°F |
| Appomattox County, VA | 42 km southeast | 96 nights | 23 nights | 27°F |
Amherst County within VA
Amherst County ranks 45 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 1,164 ft, Amherst County sits 717 ft above 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Lexington, VA, 30 km away (fair 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.