Will Pipes Freeze in Douglas County, OR? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Douglas County
In a normal year Douglas County, OR gets 2 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 9% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs December to January, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 57 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 2 nights |
| 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 2 nights 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 10/19, last around 04/27. For 20°F: 12/19 to 12/31.
How cold Douglas County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 35°F; the coldest month, December, averages 34°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35°F | 35°F | 37°F | 40°F | 45°F | 49°F | 53°F | 52°F | 48°F | 42°F | 38°F | 34°F |
Douglas County next to its neighbours
Jackson County, OR, 105 km south, gets 8 nights below 20°F to Douglas County's 2 nights. Coos County, OR, 77 km west, gets under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas County, OR | - | 57 nights | 2 nights | 35°F |
| Lane County, OR | 74 km north | 46 nights | 2 nights | 35°F |
| Coos County, OR | 77 km west | 38 nights | under 1 night | 37°F |
| Jackson County, OR | 105 km south | 103 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Josephine County, OR | 106 km south | 79 nights | 4 nights | 33°F |
| Curry County, OR | 125 km southwest | 28 nights | under 1 night | 38°F |
| Benton County, OR | 136 km north | 80 nights | 5 nights | 29°F |
Douglas County within OR
Douglas County ranks 28 of 36 OR counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Baker County, OR at 76 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Lincoln County, OR: under 1 night, winter lows near 40°F. At 1,117 ft, Douglas County sits 900 ft below the state's median county elevation of 2,017 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 Idleyld Park (4 mi NE), OR, 18 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.