Will Pipes Freeze in Kershaw County, SC? 6 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Kershaw County
In a normal year Kershaw County, SC gets 6 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 20% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 63 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 6 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 6 nights of risk to under 1 night. 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 11/14, last around 03/23. For 20°F: 01/05 to 02/02.
How cold Kershaw County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 33°F; the coldest month, January, averages 31°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 33°F | 39°F | 49°F | 58°F | 67°F | 70°F | 69°F | 63°F | 51°F | 40°F | 34°F |
Kershaw County next to its neighbours
Lancaster County, SC, 40 km north, gets 7 nights below 20°F to Kershaw County's 6 nights. Lee County, SC, 37 km southeast, gets 5 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kershaw County, SC | - | 63 nights | 6 nights | 31°F |
| Lee County, SC | 37 km southeast | 52 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Lancaster County, SC | 40 km north | 58 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Richland County, SC | 45 km southwest | 36 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Fairfield County, SC | 50 km west | 65 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Sumter County, SC | 51 km south | 55 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Chesterfield County, SC | 52 km northeast | 64 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
Kershaw County within SC
Kershaw County ranks 19 of 46 SC counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Cherokee County, SC at 18 nights, with a 28°F average winter low. The fewest is Charleston County, SC: under 1 night, winter lows near 45°F. At 297 ft, Kershaw County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 260 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Which pipe gets which threshold: the 32, 20, 10 and 0 rule.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Wateree Dam, SC, 10 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.