Will Pipes Freeze in Bucks County, PA? 32 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Bucks County
In a normal year Bucks County, PA gets 32 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 48% 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 | 106 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 32 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 7 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 32 nights of risk to 7 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 10/30, last around 04/13. For 20°F: 12/05 to 03/12.
How cold Bucks 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: 7 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 25°F | 31°F | 41°F | 51°F | 60°F | 65°F | 63°F | 57°F | 45°F | 36°F | 28°F |
Bucks County next to its neighbours
Montgomery County, PA, 26 km southwest, gets 47 nights below 20°F to Bucks County's 32 nights. Mercer County, NJ, 35 km east, gets 31 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bucks County, PA | - | 106 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
| Montgomery County, PA | 26 km southwest | 130 nights | 47 nights | 21°F |
| Hunterdon County, NJ | 30 km northeast | 125 nights | 42 nights | 21°F |
| Mercer County, NJ | 35 km east | 107 nights | 31 nights | 23°F |
| Philadelphia County, PA | 36 km south | 77 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
| Somerset County, NJ | 48 km northeast | 129 nights | 43 nights | 20°F |
| Northampton County, PA | 49 km north | 122 nights | 39 nights | 21°F |
Bucks County within PA
Bucks County ranks 64 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 367 ft, Bucks County sits 774 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.
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 Doylestown Airport, PA, 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.