Will Pipes Freeze in Hood River County, OR? 17 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Hood River County
In a normal year Hood River County, OR gets 17 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 34% 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 | 140 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 17 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 3 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 17 nights of risk to 3 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 10/03, last around 05/13. For 20°F: 11/25 to 02/21.
How cold Hood River County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, December, averages 27°F overnight. 10 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, December: 3 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 28°F | 31°F | 34°F | 40°F | 45°F | 49°F | 49°F | 44°F | 37°F | 31°F | 27°F |
Hood River County next to its neighbours
Wasco County, OR, 54 km southeast, gets 19 nights below 20°F to Hood River County's 17 nights. Clackamas County, OR, 57 km southwest, gets 3 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hood River County, OR | - | 140 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Wasco County, OR | 54 km southeast | 130 nights | 19 nights | 26°F |
| Clackamas County, OR | 57 km southwest | 68 nights | 3 nights | 33°F |
| Multnomah County, OR | 59 km west | 31 nights | 2 nights | 37°F |
| Skamania County, WA | 62 km north | 145 nights | 21 nights | 27°F |
| Clark County, WA | 71 km northwest | 71 nights | 5 nights | 32°F |
| Sherman County, OR | 77 km east | 130 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
Hood River County within OR
Hood River County ranks 18 of 36 OR counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Baker County, OR at 76 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Lincoln County, OR: under 1 night, winter lows near 40°F. At 2,819 ft, Hood River County sits 802 ft above the state's median county elevation of 2,017 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 Parkdale (1 mi NNE), OR, 6 km away (fair 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.