Will Pipes Freeze in Rockingham County, NC? 14 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Rockingham County
In a normal year Rockingham County, NC gets 14 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 31% 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 | 86 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 14 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 14 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 10/29, last around 04/11. For 20°F: 12/02 to 03/05.
How cold Rockingham County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, January, averages 28°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: 2 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 30°F | 36°F | 45°F | 54°F | 63°F | 67°F | 66°F | 59°F | 47°F | 36°F | 31°F |
Rockingham County next to its neighbours
Henry County, VA, 32 km northwest, gets 26 nights below 20°F to Rockingham County's 14 nights. Guilford County, NC, 34 km south, gets 10 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockingham County, NC | - | 86 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Henry County, VA | 32 km northwest | 108 nights | 26 nights | 25°F |
| Guilford County, NC | 34 km south | 63 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Martinsville city, VA | 34 km north | 113 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Caswell County, NC | 40 km east | 85 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Danville city, VA | 40 km northeast | 87 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Stokes County, NC | 44 km west | 96 nights | 20 nights | 28°F |
Rockingham County within NC
Rockingham County ranks 34 of 100 NC counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Swain County, NC at 49 nights, with a 24°F average winter low. The fewest is Carteret County, NC: 3 nights, winter lows near 39°F. At 735 ft, Rockingham County sits 262 ft above the state's median county elevation of 473 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 Eden, NC, 11 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.