Will Pipes Freeze in Cape May County, NJ? 24 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Cape May County
In a normal year Cape May County, NJ gets 24 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 40% 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 | 96 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 24 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 24 nights of risk to 5 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 11/09, last around 04/01. For 20°F: 12/24 to 02/26.
How cold Cape May County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, January, averages 27°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, December: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 27°F | 33°F | 42°F | 51°F | 62°F | 67°F | 65°F | 60°F | 47°F | 37°F | 30°F |
Cape May County next to its neighbours
Cumberland County, NJ, 36 km northwest, gets 29 nights below 20°F to Cape May County's 24 nights. Kent County, DE, 57 km west, gets 16 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape May County, NJ | - | 96 nights | 24 nights | 27°F |
| Cumberland County, NJ | 36 km northwest | 106 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Atlantic County, NJ | 46 km northeast | 98 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Kent County, DE | 57 km west | 79 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Sussex County, DE | 63 km southwest | 83 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Salem County, NJ | 70 km northwest | 94 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
| Gloucester County, NJ | 75 km north | 99 nights | 24 nights | 25°F |
Cape May County within NJ
Cape May County ranks 19 of 21 NJ counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Sussex County, NJ at 58 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Hudson County, NJ: 20 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 20 ft, Cape May County sits 69 ft below the state's median county elevation of 89 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 Cape May (2 mi NW), NJ, 17 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.