Will Pipes Freeze in Chesterfield County, VA? 12 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Chesterfield County
In a normal year Chesterfield County, VA gets 12 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 28% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. 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 | 74 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 12 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 12 nights of risk to 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 11/04, last around 04/03. For 20°F: 12/19 to 02/27.
How cold Chesterfield County 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: 1 night a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 31°F | 38°F | 47°F | 56°F | 65°F | 70°F | 68°F | 62°F | 49°F | 39°F | 32°F |
Chesterfield County next to its neighbours
Richmond city, VA, 20 km northeast, gets 15 nights below 20°F to Chesterfield County's 12 nights. Hopewell city, VA, 27 km east, gets 8 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chesterfield County, VA | - | 74 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Richmond city, VA | 20 km northeast | 84 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Colonial Heights city, VA | 21 km southeast | 83 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Petersburg city, VA | 26 km southeast | 83 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Henrico County, VA | 26 km east | 77 nights | 13 nights | 29°F |
| Hopewell city, VA | 27 km east | 59 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Dinwiddie County, VA | 34 km south | 94 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
Chesterfield County within VA
Chesterfield County ranks 115 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 205 ft, Chesterfield County sits 242 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 Richmond International Airport, VA, 27 km away (fair match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. What a "fair" or "distant" station match means is in the method guide.