Will Pipes Freeze in Los Angeles County, CA? No Normal Risk Nights
Freeze nights in Los Angeles County
A normal winter in Los Angeles County, CA never drops to 20°F, the point where bare pipes in unheated space start to freeze.
Risk level: No normal risk nights.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | under 1 night |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | none |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Month by month
Nights at or below 20°F in a normal year.
First 32°F night is usually around 01/07, last around 01/08.
How cold Los Angeles County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 45°F; the coldest month, December, averages 44°F overnight. No month normally brings a night below 32°F.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45°F | 46°F | 48°F | 51°F | 55°F | 59°F | 63°F | 64°F | 62°F | 56°F | 48°F | 44°F |
Los Angeles County next to its neighbours
Santa Barbara County, CA, 167 km west, gets under 1 night below 20°F to Los Angeles County's none.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles County, CA | - | under 1 night | none | 45°F |
| Orange County, CA | 73 km southeast | 1 night | none | 46°F |
| Ventura County, CA | 82 km west | 23 nights | under 1 night | 37°F |
| Kern County, CA | 135 km north | 19 nights | none | 39°F |
| Santa Barbara County, CA | 167 km west | 38 nights | under 1 night | 35°F |
| San Diego County, CA | 190 km southeast | 57 nights | 4 nights | 36°F |
| San Bernardino County, CA | 204 km east | 28 nights | under 1 night | 36°F |
Los Angeles County within CA
Los Angeles County ranks 57 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 2,264 ft, Los Angeles County sits 966 ft above the state's median county elevation of 1,298 ft.
What to do here
- Disconnect hoses in a cold snap; no routine prep needed.
Why the rare freeze catches houses unprepared: freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Pasadena, CA, 12 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.