Will Pipes Freeze in Anne Arundel County, MD? 14 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Anne Arundel County
In a normal year Anne Arundel County, MD gets 14 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 30% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 74 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 14 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 14 nights of risk to 2 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 11/13, last around 03/27. For 20°F: 12/31 to 02/18.
How cold Anne Arundel County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February: 2 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 31°F | 38°F | 48°F | 57°F | 67°F | 72°F | 70°F | 65°F | 52°F | 42°F | 34°F |
Anne Arundel County next to its neighbours
Prince George's County, MD, 31 km southwest, gets 26 nights below 20°F to Anne Arundel County's 14 nights. Baltimore city, MD, 35 km north, gets 10 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anne Arundel County, MD | - | 74 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Prince George's County, MD | 31 km southwest | 99 nights | 26 nights | 25°F |
| Baltimore city, MD | 35 km north | 54 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| District of Columbia, DC | 41 km west | 80 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Queen Anne's County, MD | 42 km east | 79 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Howard County, MD | 43 km northwest | 87 nights | 20 nights | 26°F |
| Talbot County, MD | 43 km southeast | 69 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
Anne Arundel County within MD
Anne Arundel County ranks 19 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 53 ft, Anne Arundel County sits 84 ft below 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.
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 Annapolis Police Brks, MD, 5 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.