Will Pipes Freeze in Gallia County, OH? 34 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Gallia County
In a normal year Gallia County, OH gets 34 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 50% 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 | 111 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 34 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 34 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 10/28, last around 04/18. For 20°F: 12/01 to 03/13.
How cold Gallia County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, December: 9 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 24°F | 31°F | 41°F | 51°F | 60°F | 64°F | 63°F | 56°F | 43°F | 33°F | 27°F |
Gallia County next to its neighbours
Mason County, WV, 24 km east, gets 45 nights below 20°F to Gallia County's 34 nights. Cabell County, WV, 44 km south, gets 32 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallia County, OH | - | 111 nights | 34 nights | 22°F |
| Mason County, WV | 24 km east | 126 nights | 45 nights | 20°F |
| Lawrence County, OH | 30 km southwest | 122 nights | 40 nights | 22°F |
| Jackson County, OH | 35 km northwest | 121 nights | 40 nights | 21°F |
| Meigs County, OH | 38 km northeast | 121 nights | 43 nights | 22°F |
| Cabell County, WV | 44 km south | 109 nights | 32 nights | 27°F |
| Putnam County, WV | 48 km southeast | 104 nights | 27 nights | 24°F |
Gallia County within OH
Gallia County ranks 83 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 821 ft, Gallia County sits 95 ft below 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 Gallipolis, OH, 10 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.