Will Pipes Freeze in Jackson County, WV? 36 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Jackson County
In a normal year Jackson County, WV gets 36 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 52% 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 | 117 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 36 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 10 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 36 nights of risk to 10 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 10/21, last around 04/23. For 20°F: 11/22 to 03/18.
How cold Jackson County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, March, December: 10 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 24°F | 30°F | 39°F | 50°F | 58°F | 63°F | 61°F | 54°F | 42°F | 32°F | 26°F |
Jackson County next to its neighbours
Roane County, WV, 30 km east, gets 44 nights below 20°F to Jackson County's 36 nights. Putnam County, WV, 41 km southwest, gets 27 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County, WV | - | 117 nights | 36 nights | 22°F |
| Roane County, WV | 30 km east | 128 nights | 44 nights | 22°F |
| Mason County, WV | 31 km west | 126 nights | 45 nights | 20°F |
| Wirt County, WV | 33 km northeast | 135 nights | 50 nights | 20°F |
| Putnam County, WV | 41 km southwest | 104 nights | 27 nights | 24°F |
| Meigs County, OH | 42 km northwest | 121 nights | 43 nights | 22°F |
| Wood County, WV | 44 km north | 106 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
Jackson County within WV
Jackson County ranks 37 of 55 WV counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Tucker County, WV at 70 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Mingo County, WV: 25 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 810 ft, Jackson County sits 403 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,213 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Ripley, WV, 4 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. How a county figure is built from stations: how the numbers are made.