Will Pipes Freeze in Columbia County, OR? 7 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Columbia County
In a normal year Columbia County, OR gets 7 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 21% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs November to February, 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 | 7 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 7 nights of risk to under 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 10/01, last around 05/08. For 20°F: 12/05 to 02/12.
How cold Columbia County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, February, averages 32°F overnight. 9 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 32°F | 34°F | 37°F | 42°F | 47°F | 50°F | 50°F | 46°F | 40°F | 35°F | 32°F |
Columbia County next to its neighbours
Cowlitz County, WA, 42 km northeast, gets 3 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County, OR | - | 85 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Cowlitz County, WA | 42 km northeast | 43 nights | 3 nights | 35°F |
| Washington County, OR | 43 km south | 60 nights | 4 nights | 33°F |
| Wahkiakum County, WA | 47 km northwest | 76 nights | 3 nights | 34°F |
| Clatsop County, OR | 49 km west | 30 nights | under 1 night | 38°F |
| Clark County, WA | 50 km east | 71 nights | 5 nights | 32°F |
| Multnomah County, OR | 68 km southeast | 31 nights | 2 nights | 37°F |
Columbia County within OR
Columbia County ranks 20 of 36 OR counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Baker County, OR at 76 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Lincoln County, OR: under 1 night, winter lows near 40°F. At 1,235 ft, Columbia County sits 782 ft below the state's median county elevation of 2,017 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 Vernonia #2, OR, 12 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.