Will Pipes Freeze in Gloucester County, VA? 11 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Gloucester County
In a normal year Gloucester County, VA gets 11 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 27% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 75 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 11 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 11 nights of risk to under 1 night. 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 11/10, last around 04/01. For 20°F: 12/25 to 02/24.
How cold Gloucester County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January: under 1 night a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 31°F | 37°F | 46°F | 56°F | 65°F | 70°F | 68°F | 63°F | 51°F | 40°F | 33°F |
Gloucester County next to its neighbours
Middlesex County, VA, 23 km north, gets 12 nights below 20°F to Gloucester County's 11 nights. Williamsburg city, VA, 22 km southwest, gets 9 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gloucester County, VA | - | 75 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Williamsburg city, VA | 22 km southwest | 68 nights | 9 nights | 31°F |
| Middlesex County, VA | 23 km north | 78 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Mathews County, VA | 23 km east | 69 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| York County, VA | 23 km southeast | 62 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| James City County, VA | 24 km west | 69 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Lancaster County, VA | 35 km north | 79 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
Gloucester County within VA
Gloucester County ranks 118 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 56 ft, Gloucester County sits 391 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.
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 N, VA, 8 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.