Will Pipes Freeze in Bronx County, NY? 16 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Bronx County
In a normal year Bronx County, NY gets 16 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 32% 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 | 66 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 16 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 16 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 11/16, last around 04/01. For 20°F: 12/24 to 03/01.
How cold Bronx County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 30°F; the coldest month, January, averages 27°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: 2 nights a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 29°F | 35°F | 45°F | 55°F | 64°F | 71°F | 69°F | 62°F | 51°F | 41°F | 33°F |
Bronx County next to its neighbours
New York County, NY, 13 km southwest, gets 17 nights below 20°F to Bronx County's 16 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronx County, NY | - | 66 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
| New York County, NY | 13 km southwest | 68 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Queens County, NY | 22 km south | 71 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
| Bergen County, NJ | 22 km northwest | 101 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Hudson County, NJ | 23 km southwest | 80 nights | 20 nights | 26°F |
| Kings County, NY | 25 km south | 66 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Nassau County, NY | 26 km southeast | 83 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
Bronx County within NY
Bronx County ranks 62 of 62 NY counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Franklin County, NY at 107 nights, with a 7°F average winter low. At 76 ft, Bronx County sits 812 ft below the state's median county elevation of 888 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 Bronx, NY, 1 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.