Will Pipes Freeze in Greenville County, SC? 5 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Greenville County
In a normal year Greenville County, SC gets 5 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 19% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 52 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 5 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 5 nights of risk to under 1 night. 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 11/20, last around 03/16. For 20°F: 01/06 to 01/27.
How cold Greenville County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 35°F; the coldest month, January, averages 33°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33°F | 36°F | 43°F | 51°F | 60°F | 67°F | 71°F | 70°F | 64°F | 52°F | 42°F | 36°F |
Greenville County next to its neighbours
Pickens County, SC, 32 km west, gets 11 nights below 20°F to Greenville County's 5 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville County, SC | - | 52 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Pickens County, SC | 32 km west | 74 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Spartanburg County, SC | 35 km east | 76 nights | 13 nights | 31°F |
| Polk County, NC | 47 km northeast | 77 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Anderson County, SC | 48 km southwest | 57 nights | 8 nights | 32°F |
| Henderson County, NC | 50 km north | 88 nights | 15 nights | 27°F |
| Transylvania County, NC | 54 km northwest | 94 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
Greenville County within SC
Greenville County ranks 24 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 1,077 ft, Greenville County sits 816 ft above 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.
Which pipe gets which threshold: the 32, 20, 10 and 0 rule.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Greenville Dwtn Airport, SC, 6 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.