Will Pipes Freeze in King George County, VA? 19 nights a Year
Freeze nights in King George County
In a normal year King George County, VA gets 19 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 | 91 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 19 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 3 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 19 nights of risk to 3 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 10/27, last around 04/14. For 20°F: 12/05 to 03/06.
How cold King George County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, January, averages 26°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: 3 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26°F | 28°F | 35°F | 45°F | 54°F | 63°F | 68°F | 66°F | 59°F | 47°F | 37°F | 30°F |
King George County next to its neighbours
Fredericksburg city, VA, 28 km west, gets 22 nights below 20°F to King George County's 19 nights. Charles County, MD, 25 km northeast, gets 17 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King George County, VA | - | 91 nights | 19 nights | 26°F |
| Charles County, MD | 25 km northeast | 86 nights | 17 nights | 27°F |
| Fredericksburg city, VA | 28 km west | 100 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
| Stafford County, VA | 30 km northwest | 91 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
| Caroline County, VA | 32 km southwest | 94 nights | 20 nights | 26°F |
| Westmoreland County, VA | 36 km southeast | 74 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Essex County, VA | 43 km southeast | 78 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
King George County within VA
King George County ranks 82 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 138 ft, King George County sits 309 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 Corbin, VA, 20 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.