Will Pipes Freeze in Imperial County, CA? No Normal Risk Nights
Freeze nights in Imperial County
A normal winter in Imperial County, CA never drops to 20°F, the point where bare pipes in unheated space start to freeze.
Risk level: No normal risk nights.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 5 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | none |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Month by month
Nights at or below 20°F in a normal year.
First 32°F night is usually around 12/19, last around 01/16.
How cold Imperial County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 43°F; the coldest month, December, averages 41°F overnight. 3 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42°F | 45°F | 51°F | 55°F | 62°F | 69°F | 77°F | 79°F | 72°F | 60°F | 49°F | 41°F |
Imperial County next to its neighbours
San Diego County, CA, 132 km west, gets 4 nights below 20°F to Imperial County's none.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Imperial County, CA | - | 5 nights | none | 42°F |
| Riverside County, CA | 97 km northwest | 14 nights | under 1 night | 40°F |
| San Diego County, CA | 132 km west | 57 nights | 4 nights | 36°F |
| Yuma County, AZ | 138 km east | 21 nights | under 1 night | 38°F |
| La Paz County, AZ | 144 km northeast | 14 nights | under 1 night | 41°F |
| San Bernardino County, CA | 216 km north | 28 nights | under 1 night | 36°F |
| Orange County, CA | 236 km west | 1 night | none | 46°F |
Imperial County within CA
Imperial County ranks 55 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 -43 ft, Imperial County sits 1,342 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,298 ft.
What to do here
- Disconnect hoses in a cold snap; no routine prep needed.
Even here, a once-a-decade freeze catches houses built without insulation: why pipes burst in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Brawley (2 mi SW), CA, 21 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.