Will Pipes Freeze in Baltimore city, MD? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Baltimore city
In a normal year Baltimore city, MD gets 10 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 25% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. 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 | 54 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 10 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 10 nights of risk to 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 11/21, last around 03/24. For 20°F: 01/04 to 02/15.
How cold Baltimore city nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January: 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 32°F | 38°F | 48°F | 58°F | 68°F | 73°F | 71°F | 64°F | 52°F | 42°F | 34°F |
Baltimore city next to its neighbours
Baltimore County, MD, 16 km north, gets 20 nights below 20°F to Baltimore city's 10 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore city, MD | - | 54 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Baltimore County, MD | 16 km north | 85 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
| Howard County, MD | 28 km west | 87 nights | 20 nights | 26°F |
| Anne Arundel County, MD | 35 km south | 74 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Harford County, MD | 38 km northeast | 98 nights | 26 nights | 25°F |
| Kent County, MD | 42 km east | 94 nights | 21 nights | 27°F |
| Carroll County, MD | 45 km northwest | 112 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
Baltimore city within MD
Baltimore city ranks 24 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. At 39 ft, Baltimore city sits 99 ft below the state's median county elevation of 138 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.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Md Sci Ctr Baltimore, MD, 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.