Will Pipes Freeze in Dickenson County, VA? 39 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Dickenson County
In a normal year Dickenson County, VA gets 39 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 54% 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 | 123 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 39 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 39 nights of risk to 9 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 10/16, last around 04/29. For 20°F: 11/16 to 03/18.
How cold Dickenson 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: 9 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 25°F | 31°F | 39°F | 49°F | 57°F | 62°F | 61°F | 54°F | 42°F | 32°F | 27°F |
Dickenson County next to its neighbours
Wise County, VA, 30 km southwest, gets 31 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dickenson County, VA | - | 123 nights | 39 nights | 23°F |
| Wise County, VA | 30 km southwest | 101 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
| Buchanan County, VA | 31 km northeast | 119 nights | 34 nights | 24°F |
| Russell County, VA | 32 km southeast | 109 nights | 36 nights | 24°F |
| Norton city, VA | 34 km southwest | 98 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Pike County, KY | 39 km north | 118 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Letcher County, KY | 45 km west | 110 nights | 25 nights | 24°F |
Dickenson County within VA
Dickenson County ranks 10 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 1,766 ft, Dickenson County sits 1,318 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Clintwood (1 mi W), VA, 13 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.