Will Pipes Freeze in Calaveras County, CA? under 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Calaveras County
In a normal year Calaveras County, CA gets under 1 night at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 5% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 35 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | under 1 night |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from under 1 night of risk to none. 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 11/09, last around 04/09. For 20°F: 12/29 to 01/05.
How cold Calaveras County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 37°F; the coldest month, December, averages 36°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 38°F | 40°F | 43°F | 49°F | 55°F | 61°F | 60°F | 56°F | 49°F | 41°F | 36°F |
Calaveras County next to its neighbours
Tuolumne County, CA, 55 km east, gets 11 nights below 20°F to Calaveras County's under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calaveras County, CA | - | 35 nights | under 1 night | 36°F |
| Amador County, CA | 29 km north | 31 nights | 1 night | 37°F |
| Tuolumne County, CA | 55 km east | 91 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| El Dorado County, CA | 66 km north | 87 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| San Joaquin County, CA | 69 km southwest | 21 nights | under 1 night | 39°F |
| Sacramento County, CA | 75 km northwest | 10 nights | none | 40°F |
| Stanislaus County, CA | 80 km southwest | 12 nights | none | 39°F |
Calaveras County within CA
Calaveras County ranks 30 of 58 CA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Mono County, CA at 130 nights, with a 13°F average winter low. The fewest is Orange County, CA: none, winter lows near 46°F. At 2,204 ft, Calaveras County sits 906 ft above the state's median county elevation of 1,298 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
Why rare cold catches people out - freezes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Sonora, CA, 29 km away (fair 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.