Will Pipes Freeze in Columbia County, WA? 20 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Columbia County
In a normal year Columbia County, WA gets 20 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 37% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs October to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 111 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 20 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 20 nights of risk to 5 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 10/13, last around 04/28. For 20°F: 11/24 to 02/22.
How cold Columbia County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, December, averages 27°F overnight. 10 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, December: 5 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 29°F | 34°F | 38°F | 45°F | 50°F | 55°F | 55°F | 47°F | 38°F | 32°F | 27°F |
Columbia County next to its neighbours
Garfield County, WA, 33 km northeast, gets 25 nights below 20°F to Columbia County's 20 nights. Walla Walla County, WA, 44 km west, gets 14 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County, WA | - | 111 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
| Garfield County, WA | 33 km northeast | 125 nights | 25 nights | 27°F |
| Walla Walla County, WA | 44 km west | 83 nights | 14 nights | 30°F |
| Asotin County, WA | 54 km east | 179 nights | 52 nights | 20°F |
| Whitman County, WA | 74 km northeast | 128 nights | 26 nights | 27°F |
| Franklin County, WA | 81 km west | 115 nights | 19 nights | 26°F |
| Nez Perce County, ID | 88 km east | 109 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
Columbia County within WA
Columbia County ranks 18 of 39 WA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Ferry County, WA at 62 nights, with a 18°F average winter low. The fewest is Island County, WA: 1 night, winter lows near 37°F. At 2,532 ft, Columbia County sits 912 ft above the state's median county elevation of 1,620 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Dayton (1 mi WSW), WA, 7 km away (fair match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. What a "fair" or "distant" station match means is in the method guide.