Will Pipes Freeze in Monterey County, CA? 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Monterey County
In a normal year Monterey County, CA gets 1 night at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 8% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs December to December, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 55 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 1 night |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 1 night of risk to none. 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 11/03, last around 04/23. For 20°F: 12/27 to 01/02.
How cold Monterey County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 36°F; the coldest month, December, averages 34°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35°F | 37°F | 39°F | 41°F | 44°F | 48°F | 51°F | 51°F | 49°F | 43°F | 38°F | 34°F |
Monterey County next to its neighbours
Santa Cruz County, CA, 106 km northwest, gets under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monterey County, CA | - | 55 nights | 1 night | 35°F |
| San Benito County, CA | 46 km northeast | 59 nights | 2 nights | 35°F |
| Santa Cruz County, CA | 106 km northwest | 20 nights | under 1 night | 40°F |
| Santa Clara County, CA | 114 km north | 11 nights | under 1 night | 40°F |
| Merced County, CA | 119 km northeast | 33 nights | under 1 night | 37°F |
| San Luis Obispo County, CA | 123 km southeast | 34 nights | under 1 night | 38°F |
| Kings County, CA | 136 km east | 27 nights | under 1 night | 37°F |
Monterey County within CA
Monterey County ranks 20 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 1,231 ft, Monterey County sits 68 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,298 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
A few nights a year catches houses that were never built for it: pipes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Pinnacles Nm, CA, 29 km away (fair 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.