Will Pipes Freeze in Mathews County, VA? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Mathews County
In a normal year Mathews 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 25% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. 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 | 69 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 10 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 10 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 Mathews County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 31°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 31°F | 37°F | 47°F | 57°F | 66°F | 71°F | 69°F | 63°F | 52°F | 41°F | 34°F |
Mathews County next to its neighbours
Gloucester County, VA, 23 km west, gets 11 nights below 20°F to Mathews County's 10 nights. York County, VA, 25 km southwest, gets 8 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathews County, VA | - | 69 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Gloucester County, VA | 23 km west | 75 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| York County, VA | 25 km southwest | 62 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Middlesex County, VA | 31 km northwest | 78 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Poquoson city, VA | 33 km south | 52 nights | 6 nights | 32°F |
| Northampton County, VA | 33 km southeast | 52 nights | 6 nights | 32°F |
| Lancaster County, VA | 34 km north | 79 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
Mathews County within VA
Mathews County ranks 120 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 ft, Mathews County sits 445 ft below the state's median county elevation of 448 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is N, VA, 15 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.