Will Pipes Freeze in Hancock County, WV? 39 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Hancock County
In a normal year Hancock 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 55% 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 | 116 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 39 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 13 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 13 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 10/28, last around 04/22. For 20°F: 12/01 to 03/21.
How cold Hancock County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 23°F; the coldest month, January, averages 20°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: 13 nights a year, and 3 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20°F | 22°F | 28°F | 39°F | 49°F | 58°F | 63°F | 61°F | 55°F | 43°F | 33°F | 26°F |
Hancock County next to its neighbours
Jefferson County, OH, 21 km southwest, gets 41 nights below 20°F to Hancock County's 39 nights. Brooke County, WV, 27 km south, gets 38 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock County, WV | - | 116 nights | 39 nights | 20°F |
| Jefferson County, OH | 21 km southwest | 115 nights | 41 nights | 20°F |
| Beaver County, PA | 26 km northeast | 121 nights | 39 nights | 20°F |
| Brooke County, WV | 27 km south | 111 nights | 38 nights | 21°F |
| Columbiana County, OH | 33 km northwest | 134 nights | 52 nights | 19°F |
| Washington County, PA | 44 km southeast | 121 nights | 48 nights | 20°F |
| Carroll County, OH | 45 km west | 133 nights | 53 nights | 19°F |
Hancock County within WV
Hancock County ranks 29 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 1,191 ft, Hancock County sits close to 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is New Cumberland L/d, WV, 5 km away (fair 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.