Will Pipes Freeze in Clarke County, VA? 36 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Clarke County
In a normal year Clarke County, VA gets 36 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 52% 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 | 116 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 36 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 8 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 36 nights of risk to 8 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 10/18, last around 04/25. For 20°F: 11/20 to 03/21.
How cold Clarke County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, December: 8 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 24°F | 31°F | 41°F | 51°F | 60°F | 64°F | 63°F | 55°F | 43°F | 34°F | 27°F |
Clarke County next to its neighbours
Winchester city, VA, 17 km west, gets 32 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clarke County, VA | - | 116 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Winchester city, VA | 17 km west | 106 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
| Jefferson County, WV | 24 km northeast | 114 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Frederick County, VA | 26 km northwest | 114 nights | 36 nights | 22°F |
| Warren County, VA | 30 km southwest | 106 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Loudoun County, VA | 31 km east | 114 nights | 31 nights | 25°F |
| Berkeley County, WV | 37 km north | 111 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
Clarke County within VA
Clarke County ranks 16 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 524 ft, Clarke County sits 76 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 Winchester (7 mi SE), VA, 13 km away (close 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.