Will Pipes Freeze in Allegany County, MD? 33 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Allegany County
In a normal year Allegany County, MD gets 33 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 49% 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 | 114 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 33 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 8 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 33 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 10/24, last around 04/15. For 20°F: 12/01 to 03/11.
How cold Allegany County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°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: 8 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 24°F | 31°F | 40°F | 51°F | 59°F | 64°F | 62°F | 54°F | 43°F | 33°F | 27°F |
Allegany County next to its neighbours
Mineral County, WV, 32 km southwest, gets 41 nights below 20°F to Allegany County's 33 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegany County, MD | - | 114 nights | 33 nights | 22°F |
| Mineral County, WV | 32 km southwest | 128 nights | 41 nights | 21°F |
| Hampshire County, WV | 34 km south | 134 nights | 46 nights | 20°F |
| Morgan County, WV | 39 km east | 121 nights | 39 nights | 21°F |
| Bedford County, PA | 46 km north | 144 nights | 54 nights | 19°F |
| Garrett County, MD | 50 km west | 143 nights | 57 nights | 18°F |
| Somerset County, PA | 50 km northwest | 148 nights | 67 nights | 16°F |
Allegany County within MD
Allegany County ranks 3 of 24 MD counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Garrett County, MD at 57 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Baltimore city, MD: 10 nights, winter lows near 32°F. At 1,002 ft, Allegany County sits 864 ft above the state's median county elevation of 138 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 Cumberland 2, MD, 6 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.