Will Pipes Freeze in Monongalia County, WV? 31 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Monongalia County
In a normal year Monongalia County, WV gets 31 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 47% 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 | 106 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 31 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 31 nights of risk to 9 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 10/24, last around 04/23. For 20°F: 11/29 to 03/18.
How cold Monongalia 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, March, December: 9 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 25°F | 32°F | 42°F | 51°F | 59°F | 64°F | 62°F | 56°F | 44°F | 35°F | 28°F |
Monongalia County next to its neighbours
Marion County, WV, 21 km southwest, gets 41 nights below 20°F to Monongalia County's 31 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monongalia County, WV | - | 106 nights | 31 nights | 23°F |
| Marion County, WV | 21 km southwest | 122 nights | 41 nights | 22°F |
| Greene County, PA | 28 km northwest | 137 nights | 49 nights | 19°F |
| Taylor County, WV | 34 km south | 123 nights | 40 nights | 22°F |
| Preston County, WV | 38 km southeast | 137 nights | 49 nights | 19°F |
| Fayette County, PA | 48 km northeast | 138 nights | 54 nights | 17°F |
| Harrison County, WV | 48 km southwest | 115 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
Monongalia County within WV
Monongalia County ranks 47 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 1,249 ft, Monongalia County sits close to 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 Morgantown Hart Field, WV, 12 km away (close 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.