Will Pipes Freeze in Franklin County, PA? 31 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Franklin County
In a normal year Franklin County, PA gets 31 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 47% 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 | 108 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 31 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 7 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 31 nights of risk to 7 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 10/25, last around 04/18. For 20°F: 12/01 to 03/12.
How cold Franklin County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°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, December: 7 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 25°F | 32°F | 42°F | 52°F | 61°F | 65°F | 63°F | 56°F | 45°F | 35°F | 28°F |
Franklin County next to its neighbours
Fulton County, PA, 34 km west, gets 41 nights below 20°F to Franklin County's 31 nights. Washington County, MD, 37 km south, gets 27 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County, PA | - | 108 nights | 31 nights | 23°F |
| Fulton County, PA | 34 km west | 122 nights | 41 nights | 22°F |
| Washington County, MD | 37 km south | 104 nights | 27 nights | 23°F |
| Adams County, PA | 44 km east | 122 nights | 41 nights | 21°F |
| Cumberland County, PA | 47 km northeast | 119 nights | 36 nights | 21°F |
| Frederick County, MD | 58 km southeast | 90 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
| Huntingdon County, PA | 59 km north | 121 nights | 40 nights | 21°F |
Franklin County within PA
Franklin County ranks 65 of 67 PA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Susquehanna County, PA at 80 nights, with a 15°F average winter low. The fewest is Delaware County, PA: 15 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 644 ft, Franklin County sits 497 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,141 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Chambersburg (1 mi ESE), PA, 7 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.