Will Pipes Freeze in Middlesex County, NJ? 32 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Middlesex County
In a normal year Middlesex County, NJ gets 32 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 48% 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 | 110 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 32 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 7 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 32 nights of risk to 7 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 10/26, last around 04/15. For 20°F: 12/03 to 03/11.
How cold Middlesex County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February: 7 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 24°F | 31°F | 41°F | 51°F | 60°F | 66°F | 64°F | 57°F | 44°F | 35°F | 28°F |
Middlesex County next to its neighbours
Somerset County, NJ, 23 km northwest, gets 43 nights below 20°F to Middlesex County's 32 nights. Richmond County, NY, 26 km northeast, gets 22 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex County, NJ | - | 110 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
| Somerset County, NJ | 23 km northwest | 129 nights | 43 nights | 20°F |
| Union County, NJ | 26 km north | 111 nights | 35 nights | 25°F |
| Richmond County, NY | 26 km northeast | 82 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Monmouth County, NJ | 27 km southeast | 102 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
| Mercer County, NJ | 31 km southwest | 107 nights | 31 nights | 23°F |
| Essex County, NJ | 41 km north | 117 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
Middlesex County within NJ
Middlesex County ranks 10 of 21 NJ counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Sussex County, NJ at 58 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Hudson County, NJ: 20 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 100 ft, Middlesex County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 89 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is New Brunswick (3 mi SE), NJ, 4 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.