Will Pipes Freeze in Fayette County, OH? 39 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Fayette County
In a normal year Fayette County, OH gets 39 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 | 115 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 39 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 13 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 4 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 39 nights of risk to 13 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 10/21, last around 04/23. For 20°F: 11/22 to 03/21.
How cold Fayette County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 22°F; the coldest month, January, averages 20°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: 13 nights a year, and 4 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20°F | 22°F | 30°F | 40°F | 51°F | 60°F | 63°F | 61°F | 54°F | 42°F | 32°F | 25°F |
Fayette County next to its neighbours
Madison County, OH, 38 km north, gets 48 nights below 20°F to Fayette County's 39 nights. Clinton County, OH, 33 km southwest, gets 37 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County, OH | - | 115 nights | 39 nights | 20°F |
| Clinton County, OH | 33 km southwest | 108 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
| Pickaway County, OH | 37 km east | 112 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| Madison County, OH | 38 km north | 128 nights | 48 nights | 19°F |
| Greene County, OH | 40 km west | 106 nights | 36 nights | 22°F |
| Highland County, OH | 43 km south | 114 nights | 39 nights | 20°F |
| Ross County, OH | 43 km southeast | 116 nights | 40 nights | 21°F |
Fayette County within OH
Fayette County ranks 71 of 88 OH counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Williams County, OH at 61 nights, with a 19°F average winter low. The fewest is Scioto County, OH: 28 nights, winter lows near 24°F. At 987 ft, Fayette County sits 71 ft above the state's median county elevation of 916 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 Washington Court House, OH, 4 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.