Will Pipes Freeze in Grant County, WA? 29 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Grant County
In a normal year Grant County, WA gets 29 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 44% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs October to March, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 125 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 29 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 8 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 29 nights of risk to 8 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 10/08, last around 04/27. For 20°F: 11/12 to 02/25.
How cold Grant County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, December, averages 24°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, November, December: 8 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 27°F | 32°F | 38°F | 46°F | 53°F | 59°F | 58°F | 49°F | 38°F | 29°F | 24°F |
Grant County next to its neighbours
Douglas County, WA, 61 km north, gets 45 nights below 20°F to Grant County's 29 nights. Adams County, WA, 76 km east, gets 25 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant County, WA | - | 125 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Douglas County, WA | 61 km north | 142 nights | 45 nights | 19°F |
| Adams County, WA | 76 km east | 127 nights | 25 nights | 26°F |
| Franklin County, WA | 87 km southeast | 115 nights | 19 nights | 26°F |
| Lincoln County, WA | 89 km northeast | 169 nights | 46 nights | 21°F |
| Kittitas County, WA | 92 km west | 148 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Benton County, WA | 110 km south | 103 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
Grant County within WA
Grant County ranks 12 of 39 WA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Ferry County, WA at 62 nights, with a 18°F average winter low. The fewest is Island County, WA: 1 night, winter lows near 37°F. At 1,171 ft, Grant County sits 449 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,620 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Moses Lake Grant County Airport, WA, 11 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.