Will Pipes Freeze in Dare County, NC? 4 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Dare County
In a normal year Dare County, NC gets 4 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 14% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs January to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 37 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 4 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 4 nights of risk to none. 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 11/13, last around 03/29. For 20°F: 01/07 to 02/14.
How cold Dare County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 37°F; the coldest month, January, averages 36°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 36°F | 42°F | 51°F | 60°F | 68°F | 73°F | 71°F | 67°F | 57°F | 47°F | 40°F |
Dare County next to its neighbours
Hyde County, NC, 41 km southwest, gets 7 nights below 20°F to Dare County's 4 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dare County, NC | - | 37 nights | 4 nights | 36°F |
| Hyde County, NC | 41 km southwest | 54 nights | 7 nights | 34°F |
| Tyrrell County, NC | 46 km northwest | 61 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Washington County, NC | 77 km west | 51 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
| Pasquotank County, NC | 86 km northwest | 54 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
| Perquimans County, NC | 86 km northwest | 52 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
| Currituck County, NC | 87 km north | 54 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
Dare County within NC
Dare County ranks 96 of 100 NC counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Swain County, NC at 49 nights, with a 24°F average winter low. The fewest is Carteret County, NC: 3 nights, winter lows near 39°F. At 1 ft, Dare County sits 472 ft below the state's median county elevation of 473 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 Columbia Ag Gum Neck, NC, 35 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.