Will Pipes Freeze in Lake County, CA? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Lake County
In a normal year Lake County, CA gets 2 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 9% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs December to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 64 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 2 nights |
| 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 2 nights 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 11/06, last around 04/10. For 20°F: 12/22 to 01/11.
How cold Lake County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 34°F; the coldest month, January, averages 33°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33°F | 35°F | 37°F | 40°F | 46°F | 52°F | 57°F | 55°F | 51°F | 44°F | 37°F | 33°F |
Lake County next to its neighbours
Mendocino County, CA, 70 km northwest, gets 3 nights below 20°F to Lake County's 2 nights. Colusa County, CA, 44 km east, gets under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County, CA | - | 64 nights | 2 nights | 33°F |
| Colusa County, CA | 44 km east | 17 nights | under 1 night | 39°F |
| Glenn County, CA | 62 km northeast | 52 nights | 1 night | 35°F |
| Sonoma County, CA | 67 km south | 18 nights | under 1 night | 40°F |
| Mendocino County, CA | 70 km northwest | 80 nights | 3 nights | 34°F |
| Napa County, CA | 76 km southeast | 17 nights | none | 39°F |
| Yolo County, CA | 87 km southeast | 12 nights | none | 38°F |
Lake County within CA
Lake County ranks 17 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 2,700 ft, Lake County sits 1,402 ft above 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.
A few nights a year catches houses that were never built for it: pipes 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 Clearlake (4 mi SE), CA, 26 km away (distant 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.