Will Pipes Freeze in Gilchrist County, FL? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Gilchrist County
In a normal year Gilchrist County, FL 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 8% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. 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 | 26 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 11/22, last around 03/14. For 20°F: 01/07 to 01/30.
How cold Gilchrist County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 42°F; the coldest month, January, averages 40°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40°F | 43°F | 48°F | 53°F | 62°F | 69°F | 71°F | 71°F | 68°F | 59°F | 49°F | 43°F |
Gilchrist County next to its neighbours
Alachua County, FL, 43 km east, gets under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilchrist County, FL | - | 26 nights | 2 nights | 40°F |
| Alachua County, FL | 43 km east | 17 nights | under 1 night | 43°F |
| Dixie County, FL | 47 km southwest | 24 nights | 1 night | 41°F |
| Lafayette County, FL | 47 km northwest | 27 nights | 1 night | 41°F |
| Levy County, FL | 50 km south | 16 nights | under 1 night | 44°F |
| Suwannee County, FL | 55 km north | 20 nights | under 1 night | 44°F |
| Union County, FL | 55 km northeast | 19 nights | under 1 night | 42°F |
Gilchrist County within FL
Gilchrist County ranks 5 of 67 FL counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Holmes County, FL at 2 nights, with a 40°F average winter low. The fewest is Broward County, FL: none, winter lows near 60°F. At 86 ft, Gilchrist County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 54 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
A few nights a year catches houses that were never built for it: pipes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Bell (4 mi NW), FL, 14 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.