Will Pipes Freeze in Dorchester County, SC? 4 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Dorchester County
In a normal year Dorchester County, SC 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 December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 45 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 11/12, last around 03/22. For 20°F: 01/06 to 01/31.
How cold Dorchester County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 36°F; the coldest month, January, averages 35°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35°F | 37°F | 43°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 71°F | 70°F | 65°F | 53°F | 42°F | 37°F |
Dorchester County next to its neighbours
Berkeley County, SC, 44 km east, gets 2 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dorchester County, SC | - | 45 nights | 4 nights | 35°F |
| Colleton County, SC | 35 km southwest | 44 nights | 3 nights | 35°F |
| Berkeley County, SC | 44 km east | 33 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| Charleston County, SC | 53 km southeast | 7 nights | under 1 night | 43°F |
| Orangeburg County, SC | 54 km northwest | 38 nights | 2 nights | 37°F |
| Bamberg County, SC | 62 km west | 41 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Clarendon County, SC | 67 km north | 48 nights | 4 nights | 35°F |
Dorchester County within SC
Dorchester County ranks 34 of 46 SC counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Cherokee County, SC at 18 nights, with a 28°F average winter low. The fewest is Charleston County, SC: under 1 night, winter lows near 45°F. At 59 ft, Dorchester County sits 201 ft below the state's median county elevation of 260 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.
Which pipe gets which threshold: the 32, 20, 10 and 0 rule.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Summerville (4 mi W), SC, 17 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.