Will Pipes Freeze in Dorchester County, MD? 14 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Dorchester County
In a normal year Dorchester County, MD gets 14 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 31% 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 | 77 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 14 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 14 nights of risk to 2 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 11/04, last around 04/08. For 20°F: 12/17 to 02/28.
How cold Dorchester County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 30°F; the coldest month, January, averages 28°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: 2 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 29°F | 36°F | 45°F | 55°F | 64°F | 69°F | 68°F | 61°F | 50°F | 40°F | 32°F |
Dorchester County next to its neighbours
Calvert County, MD, 43 km west, gets 16 nights below 20°F to Dorchester County's 14 nights. Wicomico County, MD, 37 km east, gets 13 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorchester County, MD | - | 77 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Wicomico County, MD | 37 km east | 74 nights | 13 nights | 29°F |
| Talbot County, MD | 37 km north | 69 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Somerset County, MD | 43 km southeast | 77 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Calvert County, MD | 43 km west | 82 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
| St. Mary's County, MD | 48 km southwest | 65 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Caroline County, MD | 53 km north | 87 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
Dorchester County within MD
Dorchester County ranks 18 of 24 MD counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Garrett County, MD at 57 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Baltimore city, MD: 10 nights, winter lows near 32°F. At 2 ft, Dorchester County sits 136 ft below the state's median county elevation of 138 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 Vienna, MD, 21 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.