Will Pipes Freeze in Mineral County, NV? 28 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Mineral County
In a normal year Mineral County, NV gets 28 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 44% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs November to March, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 115 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 28 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 4 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 28 nights of risk to 4 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 10/25, last around 04/22. For 20°F: 11/29 to 02/19.
How cold Mineral County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°F; the coldest month, December, averages 25°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, December: 4 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26°F | 29°F | 34°F | 39°F | 48°F | 56°F | 64°F | 62°F | 53°F | 42°F | 32°F | 25°F |
Mineral County next to its neighbours
Mono County, CA, 78 km southwest, gets 130 nights below 20°F to Mineral County's 28 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mineral County, NV | - | 115 nights | 28 nights | 26°F |
| Mono County, CA | 78 km southwest | 255 nights | 130 nights | 13°F |
| Lyon County, NV | 88 km northwest | 145 nights | 50 nights | 21°F |
| Esmeralda County, NV | 107 km southeast | 136 nights | 54 nights | 19°F |
| Douglas County, NV | 112 km northwest | 176 nights | 50 nights | 22°F |
| Churchill County, NV | 114 km north | 171 nights | 67 nights | 19°F |
| Alpine County, CA | 121 km west | 189 nights | 58 nights | 22°F |
Mineral County within NV
Mineral County ranks 15 of 17 NV counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Elko County, NV at 108 nights, with a 13°F average winter low. The fewest is Clark County, NV: none, winter lows near 39°F. At 5,569 ft, Mineral County sits 173 ft below the state's median county elevation of 5,741 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 Hawthorne, NV, 18 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.