Will Pipes Freeze in Inyo County, CA? 8 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Inyo County
In a normal year Inyo County, CA gets 8 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 23% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs November to February, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 82 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 8 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 8 nights of risk to under 1 night. 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 11/01, last around 04/17. For 20°F: 12/09 to 02/07.
How cold Inyo County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, December, averages 27°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 31°F | 36°F | 41°F | 49°F | 58°F | 64°F | 62°F | 55°F | 45°F | 34°F | 27°F |
Inyo County next to its neighbours
Esmeralda County, NV, 137 km north, gets 54 nights below 20°F to Inyo County's 8 nights. Tulare County, CA, 129 km west, gets 2 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inyo County, CA | - | 82 nights | 8 nights | 28°F |
| Tulare County, CA | 129 km west | 40 nights | 2 nights | 36°F |
| Esmeralda County, NV | 137 km north | 136 nights | 54 nights | 19°F |
| Nye County, NV | 177 km northeast | 153 nights | 55 nights | 20°F |
| Kern County, CA | 180 km southwest | 19 nights | none | 39°F |
| Mono County, CA | 199 km northwest | 255 nights | 130 nights | 13°F |
| Fresno County, CA | 202 km west | 12 nights | none | 39°F |
Inyo County within CA
Inyo County ranks 10 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 5,018 ft, Inyo County sits 3,720 ft above the state's median county elevation of 1,298 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Haiwee, CA, 68 km away (distant 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.