Will Pipes Freeze in Jefferson County, OR? 28 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Jefferson County
In a normal year Jefferson County, OR gets 28 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 44% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs November to April, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 144 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 28 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 6 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 28 nights of risk to 6 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 10/04, last around 05/19. For 20°F: 11/14 to 03/23.
How cold Jefferson County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, December, averages 23°F overnight. 9 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, December: 6 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 25°F | 28°F | 31°F | 39°F | 44°F | 49°F | 50°F | 43°F | 35°F | 28°F | 23°F |
Jefferson County next to its neighbours
Deschutes County, OR, 81 km south, gets 68 nights below 20°F to Jefferson County's 28 nights. Wasco County, OR, 58 km north, gets 19 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, OR | - | 144 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
| Wasco County, OR | 58 km north | 130 nights | 19 nights | 26°F |
| Deschutes County, OR | 81 km south | 216 nights | 68 nights | 21°F |
| Crook County, OR | 84 km southeast | 186 nights | 60 nights | 23°F |
| Wheeler County, OR | 92 km east | 147 nights | 34 nights | 25°F |
| Sherman County, OR | 93 km northeast | 130 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
| Clackamas County, OR | 98 km northwest | 68 nights | 3 nights | 33°F |
Jefferson County within OR
Jefferson County ranks 12 of 36 OR counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Baker County, OR at 76 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Lincoln County, OR: under 1 night, winter lows near 40°F. At 2,446 ft, Jefferson County sits 428 ft above the state's median county elevation of 2,017 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 Madras (2 mi N), OR, 3 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.