Will Pipes Freeze in Juniata County, PA? 38 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Juniata County
In a normal year Juniata County, PA gets 38 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 54% 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 | 120 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 38 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 38 nights of risk to 9 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 10/24, last around 04/21. For 20°F: 12/02 to 03/13.
How cold Juniata County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 23°F; the coldest month, January, averages 21°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, March, December: 9 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21°F | 22°F | 29°F | 39°F | 49°F | 58°F | 63°F | 61°F | 54°F | 43°F | 33°F | 26°F |
Juniata County next to its neighbours
Mifflin County, PA, 23 km west, gets 45 nights below 20°F to Juniata County's 38 nights. Perry County, PA, 19 km southeast, gets 37 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juniata County, PA | - | 120 nights | 38 nights | 21°F |
| Perry County, PA | 19 km southeast | 115 nights | 37 nights | 21°F |
| Mifflin County, PA | 23 km west | 127 nights | 45 nights | 20°F |
| Snyder County, PA | 37 km northeast | 136 nights | 48 nights | 20°F |
| Cumberland County, PA | 42 km south | 119 nights | 36 nights | 21°F |
| Huntingdon County, PA | 50 km west | 121 nights | 40 nights | 21°F |
| Dauphin County, PA | 53 km east | 125 nights | 42 nights | 21°F |
Juniata County within PA
Juniata County ranks 58 of 67 PA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Susquehanna County, PA at 80 nights, with a 15°F average winter low. The fewest is Delaware County, PA: 15 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 523 ft, Juniata County sits 618 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,141 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 Lewistown, PA, 16 km away (close 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.