Will Pipes Freeze in Hudson County, NJ? 20 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Hudson County
In a normal year Hudson County, NJ gets 20 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 36% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 80 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 20 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 20 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 11/06, last around 04/04. For 20°F: 12/16 to 03/07.
How cold Hudson County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, January, averages 26°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February: 3 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26°F | 27°F | 34°F | 44°F | 54°F | 64°F | 69°F | 68°F | 61°F | 49°F | 39°F | 31°F |
Hudson County next to its neighbours
Essex County, NJ, 15 km northwest, gets 38 nights below 20°F to Hudson County's 20 nights. New York County, NY, 10 km northeast, gets 17 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hudson County, NJ | - | 80 nights | 20 nights | 26°F |
| New York County, NY | 10 km northeast | 68 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Kings County, NY | 15 km southeast | 66 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Essex County, NJ | 15 km northwest | 117 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| Richmond County, NY | 20 km south | 82 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Union County, NJ | 21 km west | 111 nights | 35 nights | 25°F |
| Queens County, NY | 22 km southeast | 71 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
Hudson County within NJ
Hudson County ranks 21 of 21 NJ counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Sussex County, NJ at 58 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. At 38 ft, Hudson County sits 51 ft below the state's median county elevation of 89 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 Harrison, NJ, 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.