Will Pipes Freeze in Dinwiddie County, VA? 18 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Dinwiddie County
In a normal year Dinwiddie County, VA gets 18 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 35% 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 | 94 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 18 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 18 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 10/29, last around 04/09. For 20°F: 12/06 to 03/01.
How cold Dinwiddie County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, January, averages 27°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: 2 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 29°F | 35°F | 45°F | 54°F | 64°F | 68°F | 66°F | 60°F | 47°F | 36°F | 30°F |
Dinwiddie County next to its neighbours
Nottoway County, VA, 38 km west, gets 21 nights below 20°F to Dinwiddie County's 18 nights. Petersburg city, VA, 26 km northeast, gets 14 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dinwiddie County, VA | - | 94 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
| Petersburg city, VA | 26 km northeast | 83 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Colonial Heights city, VA | 30 km northeast | 83 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Chesterfield County, VA | 34 km north | 74 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Sussex County, VA | 37 km southeast | 91 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
| Nottoway County, VA | 38 km west | 97 nights | 21 nights | 27°F |
| Hopewell city, VA | 38 km northeast | 59 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
Dinwiddie County within VA
Dinwiddie County ranks 86 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 253 ft, Dinwiddie County sits 195 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.
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 Stony Creek (2 mi N), VA, 23 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.