Will Pipes Freeze in Barnstable County, MA? 25 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Barnstable County
In a normal year Barnstable County, MA gets 25 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 41% 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 | 99 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 25 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 25 nights of risk to 5 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 11/03, last around 04/13. For 20°F: 12/13 to 03/10.
How cold Barnstable County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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, December: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 24°F | 30°F | 39°F | 48°F | 58°F | 65°F | 64°F | 56°F | 46°F | 37°F | 29°F |
Barnstable County next to its neighbours
Plymouth County, MA, 57 km northwest, gets 44 nights below 20°F to Barnstable County's 25 nights. Nantucket County, MA, 46 km south, gets 18 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable County, MA | - | 99 nights | 25 nights | 24°F |
| Nantucket County, MA | 46 km south | 86 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
| Plymouth County, MA | 57 km northwest | 122 nights | 44 nights | 21°F |
| Dukes County, MA | 57 km southwest | 105 nights | 32 nights | 24°F |
| Bristol County, MA | 77 km west | 124 nights | 41 nights | 20°F |
| Bristol County, RI | 93 km west | 106 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
| Newport County, RI | 96 km west | 96 nights | 27 nights | 24°F |
Barnstable County within MA
Barnstable County ranks 13 of 14 MA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Berkshire County, MA at 75 nights, with a 16°F average winter low. The fewest is Nantucket County, MA: 18 nights, winter lows near 29°F. At 51 ft, Barnstable County sits 101 ft below the state's median county elevation of 153 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 W Harwich, MA, 6 km away (close 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.