Will Pipes Freeze in Charlottesville city, VA? 22 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Charlottesville city
In a normal year Charlottesville city, VA gets 22 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 39% 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 | 95 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 22 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 22 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 11/04, last around 04/05. For 20°F: 12/15 to 03/02.
How cold Charlottesville city nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, January, averages 26°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26°F | 27°F | 34°F | 44°F | 54°F | 62°F | 66°F | 65°F | 58°F | 47°F | 36°F | 30°F |
Charlottesville city next to its neighbours
Greene County, VA, 29 km north, gets 23 nights below 20°F to Charlottesville city's 22 nights. Albemarle County, VA, 6 km west, gets 21 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville city, VA | - | 95 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Albemarle County, VA | 6 km west | 91 nights | 21 nights | 26°F |
| Greene County, VA | 29 km north | 101 nights | 23 nights | 27°F |
| Fluvanna County, VA | 29 km southeast | 113 nights | 31 nights | 25°F |
| Waynesboro city, VA | 37 km west | 119 nights | 34 nights | 24°F |
| Nelson County, VA | 45 km southwest | 119 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Madison County, VA | 45 km northeast | 109 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
Charlottesville city within VA
Charlottesville city ranks 71 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 454 ft, Charlottesville city sits close to 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 Monticello, VA, 4 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.