Will Pipes Freeze in Pulaski County, VA? 33 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Pulaski County
In a normal year Pulaski County, VA gets 33 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 49% 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 | 118 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 33 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 33 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 10/17, last around 04/25. For 20°F: 11/21 to 03/15.
How cold Pulaski County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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, December: 7 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 26°F | 31°F | 40°F | 49°F | 57°F | 61°F | 60°F | 53°F | 41°F | 32°F | 27°F |
Pulaski County next to its neighbours
Radford city, VA, 15 km northeast, gets 34 nights below 20°F to Pulaski County's 33 nights. Carroll County, VA, 37 km south, gets 31 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski County, VA | - | 118 nights | 33 nights | 24°F |
| Radford city, VA | 15 km northeast | 117 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Giles County, VA | 28 km north | 122 nights | 37 nights | 23°F |
| Montgomery County, VA | 31 km northeast | 117 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Floyd County, VA | 35 km southeast | 121 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Carroll County, VA | 37 km south | 117 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
| Bland County, VA | 37 km west | 122 nights | 43 nights | 22°F |
Pulaski County within VA
Pulaski County ranks 33 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 2,062 ft, Pulaski County sits 1,615 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 Pulaski (2 mi E), VA, 6 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.