Will Pipes Freeze in Montgomery County, VA? 35 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Montgomery County
In a normal year Montgomery County, VA gets 35 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 51% 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 | 117 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 35 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 7 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 35 nights of risk to 7 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 10/19, last around 04/24. For 20°F: 11/17 to 03/17.
How cold Montgomery County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, March, December: 7 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 25°F | 31°F | 40°F | 49°F | 57°F | 61°F | 60°F | 53°F | 42°F | 32°F | 26°F |
Montgomery County next to its neighbours
Roanoke County, VA, 25 km northeast, gets 38 nights below 20°F to Montgomery County's 35 nights. Radford city, VA, 16 km west, gets 34 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County, VA | - | 117 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Radford city, VA | 16 km west | 117 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Roanoke County, VA | 25 km northeast | 120 nights | 38 nights | 23°F |
| Floyd County, VA | 27 km south | 121 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Pulaski County, VA | 31 km southwest | 118 nights | 33 nights | 24°F |
| Giles County, VA | 32 km northwest | 122 nights | 37 nights | 23°F |
| Salem city, VA | 32 km northeast | 85 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
Montgomery County within VA
Montgomery County ranks 23 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 2,055 ft, Montgomery County sits 1,608 ft above 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 Blacksburg Nwso, VA, 4 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.