Will Pipes Freeze in Carteret County, NC? 3 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Carteret County
In a normal year Carteret County, NC gets 3 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 11% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs January to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 30 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 3 nights |
| 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 3 nights 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 12/01, last around 03/10. For 20°F: 01/13 to 01/24.
How cold Carteret County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 39°F; the coldest month, January, averages 37°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37°F | 39°F | 45°F | 54°F | 63°F | 71°F | 75°F | 73°F | 69°F | 58°F | 48°F | 41°F |
Carteret County next to its neighbours
Pamlico County, NC, 34 km north, gets 3 nights below 20°F to Carteret County's 3 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carteret County, NC | - | 30 nights | 3 nights | 37°F |
| Pamlico County, NC | 34 km north | 40 nights | 3 nights | 35°F |
| Craven County, NC | 57 km northwest | 45 nights | 4 nights | 35°F |
| Hyde County, NC | 70 km northeast | 54 nights | 7 nights | 34°F |
| Beaufort County, NC | 75 km north | 36 nights | 3 nights | 35°F |
| Jones County, NC | 77 km west | 62 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Onslow County, NC | 89 km west | 58 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
Carteret County within NC
Carteret County ranks 100 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. At 7 ft, Carteret County sits 466 ft below the state's median county elevation of 473 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Beaufort Michael J Smith Field, NC, 18 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.