Will Pipes Freeze in Marshall County, WV? 39 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Marshall County
In a normal year Marshall County, WV gets 39 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 55% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs November to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 119 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 39 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 12 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 3 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 39 nights of risk to 12 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 10/21, last around 04/26. For 20°F: 11/23 to 03/20.
How cold Marshall County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 22°F; the coldest month, January, averages 20°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, March, December: 12 nights a year, and 3 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20°F | 22°F | 29°F | 38°F | 49°F | 57°F | 62°F | 60°F | 53°F | 41°F | 31°F | 25°F |
Marshall County next to its neighbours
Wetzel County, WV, 29 km south, gets 52 nights below 20°F to Marshall County's 39 nights. Ohio County, WV, 28 km north, gets 36 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall County, WV | - | 119 nights | 39 nights | 20°F |
| Ohio County, WV | 28 km north | 108 nights | 36 nights | 22°F |
| Wetzel County, WV | 29 km south | 142 nights | 52 nights | 19°F |
| Belmont County, OH | 31 km northwest | 118 nights | 43 nights | 21°F |
| Greene County, PA | 38 km east | 137 nights | 49 nights | 19°F |
| Monroe County, OH | 39 km west | 122 nights | 42 nights | 20°F |
| Tyler County, WV | 47 km south | 134 nights | 45 nights | 19°F |
Marshall County within WV
Marshall County ranks 30 of 55 WV counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Tucker County, WV at 70 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Mingo County, WV: 25 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 1,123 ft, Marshall County sits 90 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,213 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 Moundsville, WV, 9 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.