Will Pipes Freeze in Del Norte County, CA? 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Del Norte County
In a normal year Del Norte County, CA gets 1 night at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 7% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 40 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 1 night |
| 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 1 night 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 10/12, last around 05/01. For 20°F: 12/14 to 01/05.
How cold Del Norte County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 37°F; the coldest month, December, averages 37°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37°F | 38°F | 39°F | 41°F | 45°F | 47°F | 52°F | 51°F | 48°F | 43°F | 39°F | 37°F |
Del Norte County next to its neighbours
Josephine County, OR, 78 km northeast, gets 4 nights below 20°F to Del Norte County's 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Del Norte County, CA | - | 40 nights | 1 night | 37°F |
| Josephine County, OR | 78 km northeast | 79 nights | 4 nights | 33°F |
| Curry County, OR | 82 km north | 28 nights | under 1 night | 38°F |
| Humboldt County, CA | 116 km south | 29 nights | 1 night | 38°F |
| Siskiyou County, CA | 122 km east | 139 nights | 26 nights | 27°F |
| Jackson County, OR | 130 km northeast | 103 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Trinity County, CA | 142 km southeast | 84 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
Del Norte County within CA
Del Norte County ranks 22 of 58 CA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Mono County, CA at 130 nights, with a 13°F average winter low. The fewest is Orange County, CA: none, winter lows near 46°F. At 1,267 ft, Del Norte County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 1,298 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
Why rare cold catches people out - freezes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Cave Junction (1 mi WNW), OR, 54 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.