Will Pipes Freeze in Humboldt County, CA? 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Humboldt County
In a normal year Humboldt County, CA gets 1 night at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 7% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs January to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 29 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 1 night |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 1 night of risk to none. 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 11/22, last around 03/04.
How cold Humboldt County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 38°F; the coldest month, December, averages 37°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38°F | 38°F | 40°F | 42°F | 46°F | 50°F | 53°F | 53°F | 49°F | 44°F | 40°F | 37°F |
Humboldt County next to its neighbours
Trinity County, CA, 69 km east, gets 5 nights below 20°F to Humboldt County's 1 night. Tehama County, CA, 157 km southeast, gets under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humboldt County, CA | - | 29 nights | 1 night | 38°F |
| Trinity County, CA | 69 km east | 84 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Del Norte County, CA | 116 km north | 40 nights | 1 night | 37°F |
| Mendocino County, CA | 148 km south | 80 nights | 3 nights | 34°F |
| Siskiyou County, CA | 152 km northeast | 139 nights | 26 nights | 27°F |
| Tehama County, CA | 157 km southeast | 19 nights | under 1 night | 38°F |
| Shasta County, CA | 159 km east | 17 nights | under 1 night | 39°F |
Humboldt County within CA
Humboldt County ranks 23 of 58 CA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Mono County, CA at 130 nights, with a 13°F average winter low. The fewest is Orange County, CA: none, winter lows near 46°F. At 2,502 ft, Humboldt County sits 1,204 ft above the state's median county elevation of 1,298 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
A few nights a year catches houses that were never built for it: pipes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Grizzly Creek Sp, CA, 25 km away (distant 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.