Will Pipes Freeze in Kings County, CA? under 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Kings County
In a normal year Kings County, CA gets under 1 night at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 5% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 27 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | under 1 night |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from under 1 night of risk to none. 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 11/29, last around 02/19. For 20°F: 12/28 to 12/31.
How cold Kings County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 37°F; the coldest month, December, averages 36°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37°F | 40°F | 44°F | 48°F | 54°F | 60°F | 66°F | 64°F | 59°F | 51°F | 41°F | 36°F |
Kings County next to its neighbours
Tulare County, CA, 94 km east, gets 2 nights below 20°F to Kings County's under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kings County, CA | - | 27 nights | under 1 night | 37°F |
| Fresno County, CA | 78 km north | 12 nights | none | 39°F |
| Tulare County, CA | 94 km east | 40 nights | 2 nights | 36°F |
| San Luis Obispo County, CA | 95 km southwest | 34 nights | under 1 night | 38°F |
| Madera County, CA | 127 km north | 41 nights | 1 night | 36°F |
| Kern County, CA | 127 km southeast | 19 nights | none | 39°F |
| San Benito County, CA | 129 km northwest | 59 nights | 2 nights | 35°F |
Kings County within CA
Kings County ranks 31 of 58 CA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Mono County, CA at 130 nights, with a 13°F average winter low. The fewest is Orange County, CA: none, winter lows near 46°F. At 175 ft, Kings County sits 1,123 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,298 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
Why rare cold catches people out - freezes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Kettleman City, CA, 15 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.