Will Pipes Freeze in Cowlitz County, WA? 3 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Cowlitz County
In a normal year Cowlitz County, WA gets 3 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 13% 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 | 43 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 3 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 3 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 11/05, last around 04/08. For 20°F: 12/20 to 01/06.
How cold Cowlitz County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 35°F; the coldest month, February, averages 35°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35°F | 35°F | 37°F | 40°F | 46°F | 50°F | 53°F | 53°F | 49°F | 44°F | 38°F | 35°F |
Cowlitz County next to its neighbours
Columbia County, OR, 42 km southwest, gets 7 nights below 20°F to Cowlitz County's 3 nights. Multnomah County, OR, 75 km south, gets 2 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowlitz County, WA | - | 43 nights | 3 nights | 35°F |
| Columbia County, OR | 42 km southwest | 85 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Lewis County, WA | 48 km northeast | 74 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Clark County, WA | 50 km south | 71 nights | 5 nights | 32°F |
| Wahkiakum County, WA | 58 km west | 76 nights | 3 nights | 34°F |
| Skamania County, WA | 59 km east | 145 nights | 21 nights | 27°F |
| Multnomah County, OR | 75 km south | 31 nights | 2 nights | 37°F |
Cowlitz County within WA
Cowlitz County ranks 31 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 1,186 ft, Cowlitz County sits 434 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,620 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.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Longview, WA, 19 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.