Will Pipes Freeze in Kings County, NY? 16 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Kings County
In a normal year Kings County, NY 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 | 66 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 16 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 16 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 11/19, last around 04/01. For 20°F: 12/26 to 03/01.
How cold Kings 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: 3 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 | 70°F | 69°F | 62°F | 51°F | 41°F | 33°F |
Kings County next to its neighbours
Hudson County, NJ, 15 km northwest, gets 20 nights below 20°F to Kings County's 16 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kings County, NY | - | 66 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Queens County, NY | 9 km east | 71 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
| Hudson County, NJ | 15 km northwest | 80 nights | 20 nights | 26°F |
| New York County, NY | 16 km north | 68 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Richmond County, NY | 18 km southwest | 82 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Bronx County, NY | 25 km north | 66 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
| Essex County, NJ | 30 km northwest | 117 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
Kings County within NY
Kings County ranks 61 of 62 NY counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Franklin County, NY at 107 nights, with a 7°F average winter low. The fewest is Bronx County, NY: 16 nights, winter lows near 30°F. At 22 ft, Kings County sits 865 ft below the state's median county elevation of 888 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 Ny Ave V Brooklyn, NY, 5 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.