Will Pipes Freeze in Georgetown County, SC? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Georgetown County
In a normal year Georgetown County, SC gets 2 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 10% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs January to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 35 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 2 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 2 nights of risk to none. 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 11/24, last around 03/12. For 20°F: 01/10 to 01/21.
How cold Georgetown County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 38°F; the coldest month, January, averages 37°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37°F | 38°F | 44°F | 52°F | 61°F | 68°F | 72°F | 72°F | 67°F | 55°F | 44°F | 39°F |
Georgetown County next to its neighbours
Williamsburg County, SC, 45 km northwest, gets 7 nights below 20°F to Georgetown County's 2 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown County, SC | - | 35 nights | 2 nights | 37°F |
| Williamsburg County, SC | 45 km northwest | 60 nights | 7 nights | 33°F |
| Horry County, SC | 62 km northeast | 38 nights | 2 nights | 35°F |
| Berkeley County, SC | 65 km west | 33 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| Marion County, SC | 74 km north | 51 nights | 4 nights | 34°F |
| Florence County, SC | 78 km northwest | 48 nights | 4 nights | 35°F |
| Clarendon County, SC | 90 km west | 48 nights | 4 nights | 35°F |
Georgetown County within SC
Georgetown County ranks 42 of 46 SC counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Cherokee County, SC at 18 nights, with a 28°F average winter low. The fewest is Charleston County, SC: under 1 night, winter lows near 45°F. At 18 ft, Georgetown County sits 242 ft below the state's median county elevation of 260 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.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Georgetown County Airport, SC, 12 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.