Will Pipes Freeze in Chesapeake city, VA? 16 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Chesapeake city
In a normal year Chesapeake city, VA gets 16 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 33% 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 | 74 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 16 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 16 nights of risk to 2 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 11/18, last around 03/23. For 20°F: 01/07 to 02/01.
How cold Chesapeake city nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°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: 2 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 31°F | 37°F | 46°F | 55°F | 64°F | 69°F | 66°F | 61°F | 50°F | 39°F | 33°F |
Chesapeake city next to its neighbours
Portsmouth city, VA, 21 km north, gets 4 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesapeake city, VA | - | 74 nights | 16 nights | 29°F |
| Portsmouth city, VA | 21 km north | 42 nights | 4 nights | 33°F |
| Virginia Beach city, VA | 27 km northeast | 50 nights | 5 nights | 32°F |
| Norfolk city, VA | 28 km north | 40 nights | 4 nights | 33°F |
| Suffolk city, VA | 30 km west | 64 nights | 9 nights | 30°F |
| Camden County, NC | 39 km south | 57 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
| Hampton city, VA | 41 km north | 47 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
Chesapeake city within VA
Chesapeake city ranks 92 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 14 ft, Chesapeake city sits 434 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.
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 Fentress Naas, VA, 15 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.