Will Pipes Freeze in Cuyahoga County, OH? 30 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Cuyahoga County
In a normal year Cuyahoga County, OH gets 30 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 46% 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 | 93 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 30 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 8 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 30 nights of risk to 8 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 11/12, last around 04/08. For 20°F: 12/13 to 03/10.
How cold Cuyahoga County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, December: 8 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 24°F | 31°F | 41°F | 53°F | 63°F | 68°F | 67°F | 60°F | 49°F | 38°F | 30°F |
Cuyahoga County next to its neighbours
Geauga County, OH, 36 km east, gets 55 nights below 20°F to Cuyahoga County's 30 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cuyahoga County, OH | - | 93 nights | 30 nights | 23°F |
| Geauga County, OH | 36 km east | 138 nights | 55 nights | 17°F |
| Lake County, OH | 42 km northeast | 105 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Summit County, OH | 49 km south | 127 nights | 48 nights | 19°F |
| Lorain County, OH | 50 km west | 117 nights | 42 nights | 20°F |
| Medina County, OH | 55 km southwest | 132 nights | 55 nights | 17°F |
| Portage County, OH | 55 km southeast | 128 nights | 48 nights | 17°F |
Cuyahoga County within OH
Cuyahoga County ranks 87 of 88 OH counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Williams County, OH at 61 nights, with a 19°F average winter low. The fewest is Scioto County, OH: 28 nights, winter lows near 24°F. At 609 ft, Cuyahoga County sits 307 ft below the state's median county elevation of 916 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 Cleveland Burke Airport, OH, 8 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.