Will Pipes Freeze in Anderson County, SC? 8 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Anderson County
In a normal year Anderson County, SC gets 8 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 23% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 57 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 8 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 8 nights of risk to under 1 night. 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 11/11, last around 03/23. For 20°F: 01/01 to 02/04.
How cold Anderson County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 34°F; the coldest month, January, averages 32°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 35°F | 41°F | 49°F | 59°F | 67°F | 71°F | 70°F | 63°F | 51°F | 41°F | 35°F |
Anderson County next to its neighbours
Pickens County, SC, 41 km north, gets 11 nights below 20°F to Anderson County's 8 nights. Hart County, GA, 35 km southwest, gets 5 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson County, SC | - | 57 nights | 8 nights | 32°F |
| Hart County, GA | 35 km southwest | 49 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Abbeville County, SC | 37 km southeast | 61 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Pickens County, SC | 41 km north | 74 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Oconee County, SC | 46 km northwest | 78 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Greenville County, SC | 48 km northeast | 52 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Elbert County, GA | 49 km southwest | 83 nights | 13 nights | 30°F |
Anderson County within SC
Anderson County ranks 13 of 46 SC counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Cherokee County, SC at 18 nights, with a 28°F average winter low. The fewest is Charleston County, SC: under 1 night, winter lows near 45°F. At 769 ft, Anderson County sits 508 ft above the state's median county elevation of 260 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Which pipe gets which threshold: the 32, 20, 10 and 0 rule.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Anderson, SC, 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.