Will Pipes Freeze in Warren County, VA? 30 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Warren County
In a normal year Warren County, VA gets 30 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 46% 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 | 106 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 30 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 30 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 10/28, last around 04/13. For 20°F: 12/04 to 03/12.
How cold Warren County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°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, March, 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 | 25°F | 32°F | 42°F | 51°F | 60°F | 64°F | 62°F | 55°F | 44°F | 34°F | 28°F |
Warren County next to its neighbours
Winchester city, VA, 30 km north, gets 32 nights below 20°F to Warren County's 30 nights. Rappahannock County, VA, 25 km south, gets 28 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warren County, VA | - | 106 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Rappahannock County, VA | 25 km south | 107 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
| Winchester city, VA | 30 km north | 106 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
| Clarke County, VA | 30 km northeast | 116 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Shenandoah County, VA | 32 km west | 131 nights | 44 nights | 21°F |
| Frederick County, VA | 33 km north | 114 nights | 36 nights | 22°F |
| Fauquier County, VA | 38 km southeast | 102 nights | 28 nights | 25°F |
Warren County within VA
Warren County ranks 44 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 554 ft, Warren County sits 107 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 Front Royal, VA, 2 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.