Will Pipes Freeze in Kent County, MD? 21 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Kent County
In a normal year Kent County, MD gets 21 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 37% 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 | 94 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 21 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 3 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 21 nights of risk to 3 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 11/05, last around 04/03. For 20°F: 12/21 to 02/28.
How cold Kent County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, January, averages 27°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: 3 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 28°F | 35°F | 45°F | 55°F | 64°F | 69°F | 67°F | 60°F | 48°F | 38°F | 31°F |
Kent County next to its neighbours
Harford County, MD, 36 km northwest, gets 26 nights below 20°F to Kent County's 21 nights. Queen Anne's County, MD, 23 km south, gets 16 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kent County, MD | - | 94 nights | 21 nights | 27°F |
| Queen Anne's County, MD | 23 km south | 79 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Harford County, MD | 36 km northwest | 98 nights | 26 nights | 25°F |
| Cecil County, MD | 39 km northeast | 95 nights | 24 nights | 25°F |
| Baltimore city, MD | 42 km west | 54 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Anne Arundel County, MD | 47 km southwest | 74 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Baltimore County, MD | 48 km northwest | 85 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
Kent County within MD
Kent County ranks 9 of 24 MD counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Garrett County, MD at 57 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Baltimore city, MD: 10 nights, winter lows near 32°F. At 72 ft, Kent County sits 66 ft below the state's median county elevation of 138 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 Chestertown, MD, 7 km away (close 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.