Will Pipes Freeze in Essex County, VA? 14 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Essex County
In a normal year Essex County, VA gets 14 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 31% 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 | 78 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 14 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 14 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 10/30, last around 04/08. For 20°F: 12/09 to 03/02.
How cold Essex County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 30°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 | 30°F | 37°F | 46°F | 56°F | 64°F | 68°F | 67°F | 60°F | 49°F | 39°F | 32°F |
Essex County next to its neighbours
King and Queen County, VA, 24 km south, gets 17 nights below 20°F to Essex County's 14 nights. Richmond County, VA, 18 km east, gets 13 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County, VA | - | 78 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Richmond County, VA | 18 km east | 77 nights | 13 nights | 29°F |
| Westmoreland County, VA | 22 km northeast | 74 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| King and Queen County, VA | 24 km south | 82 nights | 17 nights | 29°F |
| King William County, VA | 29 km southwest | 83 nights | 18 nights | 29°F |
| Caroline County, VA | 38 km west | 94 nights | 20 nights | 26°F |
| King George County, VA | 43 km northwest | 91 nights | 19 nights | 26°F |
Essex County within VA
Essex County ranks 103 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 123 ft, Essex County sits 325 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.
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 Warsaw (2 mi NW), 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.