Will Pipes Freeze in Berks County, PA? 33 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Berks County
In a normal year Berks County, PA gets 33 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 49% 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 | 107 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 33 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 8 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 33 nights of risk to 8 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 10/31, last around 04/10. For 20°F: 12/09 to 03/09.
How cold Berks County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°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: 8 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 24°F | 32°F | 42°F | 52°F | 61°F | 66°F | 64°F | 57°F | 45°F | 36°F | 28°F |
Berks County next to its neighbours
Lehigh County, PA, 36 km northeast, gets 44 nights below 20°F to Berks County's 33 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berks County, PA | - | 107 nights | 33 nights | 23°F |
| Lehigh County, PA | 36 km northeast | 127 nights | 44 nights | 20°F |
| Schuylkill County, PA | 41 km northwest | 129 nights | 47 nights | 19°F |
| Lebanon County, PA | 46 km west | 120 nights | 39 nights | 22°F |
| Lancaster County, PA | 50 km southwest | 111 nights | 33 nights | 22°F |
| Chester County, PA | 51 km south | 119 nights | 39 nights | 22°F |
| Montgomery County, PA | 52 km southeast | 130 nights | 47 nights | 21°F |
Berks County within PA
Berks County ranks 63 of 67 PA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Susquehanna County, PA at 80 nights, with a 15°F average winter low. The fewest is Delaware County, PA: 15 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 360 ft, Berks County sits 781 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,141 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Reading (4 mi NNW), PA, 2 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.