Will Pipes Freeze in Floyd County, VA? 36 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Floyd County
In a normal year Floyd 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 | 121 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 36 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 7 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 7 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 10/10, last around 04/30. For 20°F: 11/12 to 03/24.
How cold Floyd 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, March, December: 7 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 | 39°F | 48°F | 57°F | 61°F | 59°F | 53°F | 41°F | 32°F | 26°F |
Floyd County next to its neighbours
Montgomery County, VA, 27 km north, gets 35 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floyd County, VA | - | 121 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Montgomery County, VA | 27 km north | 117 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Radford city, VA | 28 km northwest | 117 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Patrick County, VA | 30 km south | 97 nights | 18 nights | 25°F |
| Pulaski County, VA | 35 km northwest | 118 nights | 33 nights | 24°F |
| Carroll County, VA | 40 km southwest | 117 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
| Franklin County, VA | 42 km east | 102 nights | 21 nights | 27°F |
Floyd County within VA
Floyd County ranks 15 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 2,297 ft, Floyd County sits 1,850 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.
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 Floyd (2 mi NE), VA, 5 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.