Will Pipes Freeze in Benton County, OR? 5 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Benton County
In a normal year Benton County, OR gets 5 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 18% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs November to February, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 80 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 5 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 5 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 10/08, last around 05/15. For 20°F: 12/01 to 02/03.
How cold Benton County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 29°F | 31°F | 34°F | 39°F | 43°F | 46°F | 46°F | 43°F | 37°F | 32°F | 29°F |
Benton County next to its neighbours
Lincoln County, OR, 42 km northwest, gets under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County, OR | - | 80 nights | 5 nights | 29°F |
| Lincoln County, OR | 42 km northwest | 13 nights | under 1 night | 41°F |
| Polk County, OR | 45 km north | 64 nights | 3 nights | 34°F |
| Linn County, OR | 70 km east | 65 nights | 3 nights | 34°F |
| Lane County, OR | 76 km southeast | 46 nights | 2 nights | 35°F |
| Marion County, OR | 81 km northeast | 75 nights | 3 nights | 33°F |
| Yamhill County, OR | 84 km north | 46 nights | 2 nights | 35°F |
Benton County within OR
Benton County ranks 21 of 36 OR counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Baker County, OR at 76 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Lincoln County, OR: under 1 night, winter lows near 40°F. At 762 ft, Benton County sits 1,255 ft below the state's median county elevation of 2,017 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 Corvallis Water Bureau, OR, 3 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.