Will Pipes Freeze in Caswell County, NC? 14 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Caswell County
In a normal year Caswell County, NC gets 14 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 30% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 85 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 14 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 14 nights of risk to 1 night. 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 11/04, last around 03/31. For 20°F: 12/20 to 02/21.
How cold Caswell 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: 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 30°F | 37°F | 46°F | 55°F | 63°F | 68°F | 66°F | 60°F | 47°F | 37°F | 31°F |
Caswell County next to its neighbours
Person County, NC, 33 km east, gets 22 nights below 20°F to Caswell County's 14 nights. Alamance County, NC, 39 km south, gets 12 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caswell County, NC | - | 85 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Danville city, VA | 22 km north | 87 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Person County, NC | 33 km east | 102 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
| Alamance County, NC | 39 km south | 77 nights | 12 nights | 30°F |
| Rockingham County, NC | 40 km west | 86 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Orange County, NC | 42 km southeast | 74 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Pittsylvania County, VA | 48 km north | 125 nights | 37 nights | 24°F |
Caswell County within NC
Caswell County ranks 38 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 473 ft, Caswell County sits close to 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.
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 Yanceyville (4 mi SE), NC, 8 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.