Will Pipes Freeze in Isle of Wight County, VA? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Isle of Wight County
In a normal year Isle of Wight County, VA gets 10 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 26% 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 | 71 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 10 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 10 nights of risk to 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 11/15, last around 03/27. For 20°F: 01/03 to 02/11.
How cold Isle of Wight County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°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: 1 night a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 32°F | 38°F | 47°F | 56°F | 65°F | 69°F | 68°F | 62°F | 50°F | 40°F | 34°F |
Isle of Wight County next to its neighbours
Surry County, VA, 29 km northwest, gets 13 nights below 20°F to Isle of Wight County's 10 nights. Suffolk city, VA, 24 km south, gets 9 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isle of Wight County, VA | - | 71 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Suffolk city, VA | 24 km south | 64 nights | 9 nights | 30°F |
| Newport News city, VA | 25 km northeast | 60 nights | 7 nights | 31°F |
| Surry County, VA | 29 km northwest | 80 nights | 13 nights | 29°F |
| Portsmouth city, VA | 32 km east | 42 nights | 4 nights | 33°F |
| Franklin city, VA | 32 km southwest | 79 nights | 13 nights | 30°F |
| Hampton city, VA | 40 km northeast | 47 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
Isle of Wight County within VA
Isle of Wight County ranks 119 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 70 ft, Isle of Wight County sits 377 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 Suffolk Lake Kilby, VA, 21 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.