Will Pipes Freeze in Rappahannock County, VA? 28 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Rappahannock County
In a normal year Rappahannock County, VA gets 28 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 44% 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 | 107 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 28 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 6 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 28 nights of risk to 6 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 04/16. For 20°F: 12/04 to 03/11.
How cold Rappahannock County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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, December: 6 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 25°F | 31°F | 41°F | 50°F | 59°F | 64°F | 62°F | 56°F | 44°F | 35°F | 28°F |
Rappahannock County next to its neighbours
Warren County, VA, 25 km north, gets 30 nights below 20°F to Rappahannock County's 28 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rappahannock County, VA | - | 107 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
| Warren County, VA | 25 km north | 106 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Culpeper County, VA | 29 km southeast | 110 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Page County, VA | 29 km west | 119 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Fauquier County, VA | 31 km east | 102 nights | 28 nights | 25°F |
| Madison County, VA | 32 km south | 109 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Shenandoah County, VA | 40 km northwest | 131 nights | 44 nights | 21°F |
Rappahannock County within VA
Rappahannock County ranks 51 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 629 ft, Rappahannock County sits 181 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 Sperryville, VA, 6 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.