Will Pipes Freeze in Essex County, NJ? 38 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Essex County
In a normal year Essex County, NJ gets 38 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 54% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs November to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 117 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 38 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 38 nights of risk to 9 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 10/24, last around 04/18. For 20°F: 12/03 to 03/13.
How cold Essex County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°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, February, March, December: 9 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 23°F | 30°F | 40°F | 49°F | 59°F | 65°F | 63°F | 55°F | 43°F | 34°F | 27°F |
Essex County next to its neighbours
Morris County, NJ, 27 km west, gets 48 nights below 20°F to Essex County's 38 nights. Union County, NJ, 15 km south, gets 35 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essex County, NJ | - | 117 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| Union County, NJ | 15 km south | 111 nights | 35 nights | 25°F |
| Hudson County, NJ | 15 km southeast | 80 nights | 20 nights | 26°F |
| New York County, NY | 23 km east | 68 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Bergen County, NJ | 24 km northeast | 101 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Morris County, NJ | 27 km west | 131 nights | 48 nights | 19°F |
| Richmond County, NY | 27 km south | 82 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
Essex County within NJ
Essex County ranks 7 of 21 NJ counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Sussex County, NJ at 58 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Hudson County, NJ: 20 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 389 ft, Essex County sits 300 ft above the state's median county elevation of 89 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 Essex Fells Service Bldg, NJ, 6 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.