Will Pipes Freeze in Durham County, NC? 11 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Durham County
In a normal year Durham County, NC gets 11 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 28% 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 | 81 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 11 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 11 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 11/04, last around 04/02. For 20°F: 12/23 to 02/17.
How cold Durham County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 31°F | 38°F | 46°F | 56°F | 64°F | 69°F | 67°F | 61°F | 48°F | 38°F | 33°F |
Durham County next to its neighbours
Person County, NC, 40 km north, gets 22 nights below 20°F to Durham County's 11 nights. Wake County, NC, 34 km southeast, gets 7 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Durham County, NC | - | 81 nights | 11 nights | 29°F |
| Orange County, NC | 22 km west | 74 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Wake County, NC | 34 km southeast | 62 nights | 7 nights | 31°F |
| Granville County, NC | 36 km northeast | 70 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
| Person County, NC | 40 km north | 102 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
| Alamance County, NC | 47 km west | 77 nights | 12 nights | 30°F |
| Chatham County, NC | 50 km southwest | 74 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
Durham County within NC
Durham County ranks 45 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 349 ft, Durham County sits 124 ft below the state's median county elevation of 473 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Durham, NC, 8 km away (close 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.