Will Pipes Freeze in Catawba County, NC? 8 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Catawba County
In a normal year Catawba County, NC gets 8 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 23% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 59 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 8 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 8 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 11/08, last around 03/24. For 20°F: 12/24 to 02/09.
How cold Catawba County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 31°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 33°F | 40°F | 48°F | 57°F | 65°F | 68°F | 67°F | 61°F | 49°F | 39°F | 34°F |
Catawba County next to its neighbours
Lincoln County, NC, 19 km south, gets 14 nights below 20°F to Catawba County's 8 nights. Gaston County, NC, 41 km south, gets 7 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catawba County, NC | - | 59 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Lincoln County, NC | 19 km south | 76 nights | 14 nights | 30°F |
| Alexander County, NC | 29 km north | 67 nights | 9 nights | 29°F |
| Iredell County, NC | 35 km northeast | 99 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
| Gaston County, NC | 41 km south | 61 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Caldwell County, NC | 43 km northwest | 85 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Burke County, NC | 45 km west | 90 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
Catawba County within NC
Catawba County ranks 65 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 958 ft, Catawba County sits 485 ft above 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.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Catawba (5 mi SW), NC, 7 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.