Will Pipes Freeze in Kent County, DE? 16 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Kent County
In a normal year Kent County, DE gets 16 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 33% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 79 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 16 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 16 nights of risk to 2 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 11/04, last around 04/04. For 20°F: 12/16 to 03/03.
How cold Kent County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 30°F; the coldest month, January, averages 28°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February: 2 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 29°F | 35°F | 45°F | 54°F | 64°F | 69°F | 67°F | 61°F | 49°F | 39°F | 32°F |
Kent County next to its neighbours
Caroline County, MD, 38 km southwest, gets 19 nights below 20°F to Kent County's 16 nights. Sussex County, DE, 49 km south, gets 15 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County, DE | - | 79 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Caroline County, MD | 38 km southwest | 87 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
| Cumberland County, NJ | 42 km northeast | 106 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Sussex County, DE | 49 km south | 83 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Queen Anne's County, MD | 50 km west | 79 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Salem County, NJ | 54 km north | 94 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
| New Castle County, DE | 55 km north | 93 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
Kent County within DE
Kent County ranks 2 of 3 DE counties for nights below 20°F. The most is New Castle County, DE at 22 nights, with a 27°F average winter low. The fewest is Sussex County, DE: 15 nights, winter lows near 30°F. At 24 ft, Kent County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 42 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 Dover, DE, 6 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.