Will Pipes Freeze in Aleutians East Borough, AK? 38 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Aleutians East Borough
In a normal year Aleutians East Borough, AK 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 April, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 141 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 38 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 38 nights of risk to 9 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 10/04, last around 05/25. For 20°F: 11/23 to 04/07.
How cold Aleutians East Borough nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°F overnight. 9 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, March, December: 9 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 | 25°F | 30°F | 36°F | 42°F | 47°F | 48°F | 44°F | 36°F | 31°F | 26°F |
Aleutians East Borough next to its neighbours
Lake and Peninsula Borough, AK, 466 km northeast, gets 99 nights below 20°F to Aleutians East Borough's 38 nights. Kodiak Island Borough, AK, 566 km northeast, gets 36 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aleutians East Borough, AK | - | 141 nights | 38 nights | 24°F |
| Lake and Peninsula Borough, AK | 466 km northeast | 190 nights | 99 nights | 10°F |
| Bristol Bay Borough, AK | 492 km northeast | 192 nights | 104 nights | 10°F |
| Kodiak Island Borough, AK | 566 km northeast | 150 nights | 36 nights | 24°F |
| Bethel Census Area, AK | 641 km north | 214 nights | 138 nights | 1°F |
| Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK | 807 km northeast | 194 nights | 102 nights | 10°F |
| Anchorage Municipality, AK | 992 km northeast | 203 nights | 104 nights | 12°F |
Aleutians East Borough within AK
Aleutians East Borough ranks 18 of 26 AK counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AK at 192 nights, with a -19°F average winter low. The fewest is Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK: 10 nights, winter lows near 32°F. At 14 ft, Aleutians East Borough sits 807 ft below the state's median county elevation of 822 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 2 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Cold Bay Airport, AK, 47 km away (fair 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.