Will Pipes Freeze in Lancaster County, SC? 7 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Lancaster County
In a normal year Lancaster County, SC gets 7 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 21% 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 | 58 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 7 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 7 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 11/08, last around 03/27. For 20°F: 12/29 to 02/11.
How cold Lancaster County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 33°F; the coldest month, January, averages 32°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 34°F | 40°F | 49°F | 58°F | 66°F | 70°F | 68°F | 63°F | 51°F | 39°F | 34°F |
Lancaster County next to its neighbours
Union County, NC, 37 km northeast, gets 9 nights below 20°F to Lancaster County's 7 nights. Kershaw County, SC, 40 km south, gets 6 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County, SC | - | 58 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Union County, NC | 37 km northeast | 68 nights | 9 nights | 30°F |
| Kershaw County, SC | 40 km south | 63 nights | 6 nights | 31°F |
| Chester County, SC | 42 km west | 82 nights | 15 nights | 30°F |
| Chesterfield County, SC | 50 km east | 64 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
| Fairfield County, SC | 51 km southwest | 65 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| York County, SC | 54 km northwest | 68 nights | 9 nights | 30°F |
Lancaster County within SC
Lancaster County ranks 15 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 530 ft, Lancaster County sits 270 ft above 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 Pageland, SC, 31 km away (fair match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. How a county figure is built from stations: how the numbers are made.