Will Pipes Freeze in Rockingham County, VA? 38 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Rockingham County
In a normal year Rockingham County, VA gets 38 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 54% 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 | 122 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 38 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 8 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 38 nights of risk to 8 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 10/23, last around 04/21. For 20°F: 11/23 to 03/15.
How cold Rockingham County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°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, March, December: 8 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 24°F | 31°F | 40°F | 50°F | 60°F | 64°F | 62°F | 55°F | 43°F | 33°F | 26°F |
Rockingham County next to its neighbours
Pendleton County, WV, 44 km northwest, gets 44 nights below 20°F to Rockingham County's 38 nights. Page County, VA, 37 km east, gets 36 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockingham County, VA | - | 122 nights | 38 nights | 23°F |
| Harrisonburg city, VA | 8 km south | 123 nights | 39 nights | 23°F |
| Page County, VA | 37 km east | 119 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Staunton city, VA | 42 km south | 118 nights | 35 nights | 24°F |
| Greene County, VA | 43 km southeast | 101 nights | 23 nights | 27°F |
| Augusta County, VA | 43 km southwest | 117 nights | 35 nights | 24°F |
| Pendleton County, WV | 44 km northwest | 127 nights | 44 nights | 21°F |
Rockingham County within VA
Rockingham County ranks 11 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 1,383 ft, Rockingham County sits 936 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 Dale Enterprise, VA, 7 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.