Will Pipes Freeze in Burke County, NC? 17 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Burke County
In a normal year Burke County, NC gets 17 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 33% 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 | 90 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 17 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 17 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 10/28, last around 04/07. For 20°F: 12/05 to 02/26.
How cold Burke County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 30°F; the coldest month, January, averages 28°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: 2 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 30°F | 37°F | 45°F | 54°F | 62°F | 66°F | 65°F | 59°F | 46°F | 35°F | 30°F |
Burke County next to its neighbours
McDowell County, NC, 32 km west, gets 27 nights below 20°F to Burke County's 17 nights. Caldwell County, NC, 30 km northeast, gets 14 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burke County, NC | - | 90 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Caldwell County, NC | 30 km northeast | 85 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| McDowell County, NC | 32 km west | 103 nights | 27 nights | 27°F |
| Avery County, NC | 41 km northwest | 122 nights | 44 nights | 22°F |
| Rutherford County, NC | 43 km southwest | 96 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
| Catawba County, NC | 45 km east | 59 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Cleveland County, NC | 48 km south | 88 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
Burke County within NC
Burke County ranks 28 of 100 NC counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Swain County, NC at 49 nights, with a 24°F average winter low. The fewest is Carteret County, NC: 3 nights, winter lows near 39°F. At 1,018 ft, Burke County sits 545 ft above the state's median county elevation of 473 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 Morganton, NC, 4 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.