Will Pipes Freeze in Middlesex County, VA? 12 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Middlesex County
In a normal year Middlesex County, VA gets 12 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 29% 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 | 78 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 12 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 12 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 11/10, last around 04/01. For 20°F: 12/25 to 02/24.
How cold Middlesex County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°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: 1 night a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 30°F | 37°F | 46°F | 56°F | 65°F | 70°F | 68°F | 62°F | 50°F | 40°F | 33°F |
Middlesex County next to its neighbours
King and Queen County, VA, 35 km west, gets 17 nights below 20°F to Middlesex County's 12 nights. Gloucester County, VA, 23 km south, gets 11 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex County, VA | - | 78 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Lancaster County, VA | 15 km northeast | 79 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Gloucester County, VA | 23 km south | 75 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Mathews County, VA | 31 km southeast | 69 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Northumberland County, VA | 31 km northeast | 73 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| King and Queen County, VA | 35 km west | 82 nights | 17 nights | 29°F |
| James City County, VA | 38 km southwest | 69 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
Middlesex County within VA
Middlesex County ranks 114 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 59 ft, Middlesex County sits 389 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, 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.