Will Pipes Freeze in Charles County, MD? 17 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Charles County
In a normal year Charles County, MD gets 17 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 34% 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 | 86 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 17 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 3 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 17 nights of risk to 3 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 10/27, last around 04/17. For 20°F: 12/03 to 03/09.
How cold Charles County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, January, averages 27°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, February: 3 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 28°F | 35°F | 45°F | 54°F | 63°F | 68°F | 67°F | 60°F | 48°F | 38°F | 31°F |
Charles County next to its neighbours
King George County, VA, 25 km southwest, gets 19 nights below 20°F to Charles County's 17 nights. Alexandria city, VA, 39 km north, gets 15 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles County, MD | - | 86 nights | 17 nights | 27°F |
| King George County, VA | 25 km southwest | 91 nights | 19 nights | 26°F |
| Stafford County, VA | 39 km west | 91 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
| Alexandria city, VA | 39 km north | 76 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Prince George's County, MD | 42 km north | 99 nights | 26 nights | 25°F |
| Calvert County, MD | 43 km east | 82 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
| Westmoreland County, VA | 44 km southeast | 74 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
Charles County within MD
Charles County ranks 15 of 24 MD counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Garrett County, MD at 57 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Baltimore city, MD: 10 nights, winter lows near 32°F. At 142 ft, Charles County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 138 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Mechanicsville (5 mi NE), MD, 25 km away (fair 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.