Will Pipes Freeze in Lewis County, WA? 5 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Lewis County
In a normal year Lewis County, WA gets 5 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 17% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs November to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 74 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 5 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 5 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 10/15, last around 04/24. For 20°F: 12/12 to 01/31.
How cold Lewis County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 33°F; the coldest month, February, averages 32°F overnight. 9 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33°F | 32°F | 35°F | 38°F | 43°F | 47°F | 51°F | 49°F | 45°F | 41°F | 35°F | 33°F |
Lewis County next to its neighbours
Thurston County, WA, 52 km northwest, gets 6 nights below 20°F to Lewis County's 5 nights. Cowlitz County, WA, 48 km southwest, gets 3 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lewis County, WA | - | 74 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Cowlitz County, WA | 48 km southwest | 43 nights | 3 nights | 35°F |
| Thurston County, WA | 52 km northwest | 70 nights | 6 nights | 34°F |
| Pierce County, WA | 55 km north | 70 nights | 4 nights | 33°F |
| Skamania County, WA | 70 km southeast | 145 nights | 21 nights | 27°F |
| Wahkiakum County, WA | 86 km west | 76 nights | 3 nights | 34°F |
| Columbia County, OR | 89 km southwest | 85 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
Lewis County within WA
Lewis County ranks 27 of 39 WA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Ferry County, WA at 62 nights, with a 18°F average winter low. The fewest is Island County, WA: 1 night, winter lows near 37°F. At 755 ft, Lewis County sits 865 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,620 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.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Glenoma, WA, 20 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.