Will Pipes Freeze in Patrick County, VA? 18 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Patrick County
In a normal year Patrick County, VA gets 18 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 34% 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 | 97 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 18 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 18 nights of risk to 2 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 04/19. For 20°F: 11/30 to 03/07.
How cold Patrick 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: 2 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 | 33°F | 42°F | 51°F | 60°F | 64°F | 62°F | 56°F | 44°F | 34°F | 29°F |
Patrick County next to its neighbours
Henry County, VA, 28 km east, gets 26 nights below 20°F to Patrick County's 18 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick County, VA | - | 97 nights | 18 nights | 25°F |
| Henry County, VA | 28 km east | 108 nights | 26 nights | 25°F |
| Floyd County, VA | 30 km north | 121 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Stokes County, NC | 30 km south | 96 nights | 20 nights | 28°F |
| Martinsville city, VA | 38 km east | 113 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Carroll County, VA | 40 km west | 117 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
| Surry County, NC | 45 km southwest | 111 nights | 25 nights | 25°F |
Patrick County within VA
Patrick County ranks 88 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 1,684 ft, Patrick County sits 1,237 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.
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 Stuart, VA, 5 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.