Will Pipes Freeze in Orange County, VA? 25 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Orange County
In a normal year Orange County, VA gets 25 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 41% 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 | 98 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 25 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 4 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 25 nights of risk to 4 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 10/30, last around 04/07. For 20°F: 12/07 to 03/06.
How cold Orange County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°F; the coldest month, January, averages 25°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: 4 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 27°F | 34°F | 44°F | 53°F | 62°F | 66°F | 65°F | 58°F | 46°F | 36°F | 29°F |
Orange County next to its neighbours
Culpeper County, VA, 27 km north, gets 30 nights below 20°F to Orange County's 25 nights. Spotsylvania County, VA, 32 km east, gets 23 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County, VA | - | 98 nights | 25 nights | 25°F |
| Culpeper County, VA | 27 km north | 110 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Madison County, VA | 29 km northwest | 109 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Louisa County, VA | 31 km south | 110 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
| Spotsylvania County, VA | 32 km east | 100 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
| Greene County, VA | 40 km west | 101 nights | 23 nights | 27°F |
| Fredericksburg city, VA | 46 km east | 100 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
Orange County within VA
Orange County ranks 60 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 448 ft, Orange County sits close to 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Piedmont Rsch Station, VA, 10 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.