Will Pipes Freeze in Cumberland County, NJ? 29 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Cumberland County
In a normal year Cumberland County, NJ gets 29 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 45% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs November to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 106 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 29 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 6 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 29 nights of risk to 6 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 10/23, last around 04/24. For 20°F: 11/29 to 03/15.
How cold Cumberland County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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, December: 6 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 25°F | 32°F | 41°F | 51°F | 60°F | 66°F | 65°F | 57°F | 45°F | 35°F | 28°F |
Cumberland County next to its neighbours
Salem County, NJ, 34 km northwest, gets 22 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County, NJ | - | 106 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Salem County, NJ | 34 km northwest | 94 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
| Cape May County, NJ | 36 km southeast | 96 nights | 24 nights | 27°F |
| Kent County, DE | 42 km southwest | 79 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Gloucester County, NJ | 44 km north | 99 nights | 24 nights | 25°F |
| Atlantic County, NJ | 45 km east | 98 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| New Castle County, DE | 53 km northwest | 93 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
Cumberland County within NJ
Cumberland County ranks 14 of 21 NJ counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Sussex County, NJ at 58 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Hudson County, NJ: 20 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 81 ft, Cumberland County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 89 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Millville Municipal Airport, NJ, 6 km away (close 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.