Will Pipes Freeze in Forsyth County, NC? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Forsyth County
In a normal year Forsyth County, NC gets 10 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 26% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. 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 | 69 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 10 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 10 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 11/09, last around 03/26. For 20°F: 01/01 to 02/08.
How cold Forsyth County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°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: under 1 night a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 32°F | 39°F | 47°F | 56°F | 65°F | 69°F | 68°F | 61°F | 49°F | 39°F | 33°F |
Forsyth County next to its neighbours
Stokes County, NC, 29 km north, gets 20 nights below 20°F to Forsyth County's 10 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forsyth County, NC | - | 69 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Stokes County, NC | 29 km north | 96 nights | 20 nights | 28°F |
| Davie County, NC | 34 km southwest | 111 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
| Yadkin County, NC | 37 km west | 105 nights | 25 nights | 25°F |
| Davidson County, NC | 38 km south | 84 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Guilford County, NC | 42 km east | 63 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Surry County, NC | 50 km northwest | 111 nights | 25 nights | 25°F |
Forsyth County within NC
Forsyth County ranks 50 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 943 ft, Forsyth County sits 470 ft above the state's median county elevation of 473 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 Winston Salem Rynlds Airport, NC, 3 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.