Will Pipes Freeze in Gilmer County, WV? 39 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Gilmer County
In a normal year Gilmer County, WV gets 39 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 54% 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 | 126 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 39 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 11 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 3 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 39 nights of risk to 11 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 10/24, last around 04/25. For 20°F: 11/23 to 03/17.
How cold Gilmer County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°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, March, December: 11 nights a year, and 3 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 24°F | 30°F | 39°F | 50°F | 59°F | 63°F | 62°F | 55°F | 42°F | 32°F | 27°F |
Gilmer County next to its neighbours
Calhoun County, WV, 24 km west, gets 42 nights below 20°F to Gilmer County's 39 nights. Braxton County, WV, 26 km southeast, gets 34 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gilmer County, WV | - | 126 nights | 39 nights | 22°F |
| Calhoun County, WV | 24 km west | 130 nights | 42 nights | 21°F |
| Braxton County, WV | 26 km southeast | 119 nights | 34 nights | 22°F |
| Lewis County, WV | 32 km east | 127 nights | 44 nights | 22°F |
| Ritchie County, WV | 35 km northwest | 128 nights | 42 nights | 21°F |
| Doddridge County, WV | 41 km north | 129 nights | 43 nights | 21°F |
| Wirt County, WV | 48 km west | 135 nights | 50 nights | 20°F |
Gilmer County within WV
Gilmer County ranks 32 of 55 WV counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Tucker County, WV at 70 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Mingo County, WV: 25 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 861 ft, Gilmer County sits 352 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,213 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 Glenville, WV, 3 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. How a county figure is built from stations: how the numbers are made.