Will Pipes Freeze in Morrow County, OR? 18 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Morrow County
In a normal year Morrow County, OR gets 18 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 34% 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 | 107 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 18 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 18 nights of risk to 5 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 10/19, last around 04/26. For 20°F: 11/26 to 02/20.
How cold Morrow County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, December, averages 27°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, December: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 29°F | 34°F | 38°F | 44°F | 49°F | 55°F | 55°F | 48°F | 39°F | 32°F | 27°F |
Morrow County next to its neighbours
Gilliam County, OR, 53 km west, gets 23 nights below 20°F to Morrow County's 18 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morrow County, OR | - | 107 nights | 18 nights | 28°F |
| Gilliam County, OR | 53 km west | 127 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
| Umatilla County, OR | 70 km east | 103 nights | 18 nights | 28°F |
| Wheeler County, OR | 84 km southwest | 147 nights | 34 nights | 25°F |
| Sherman County, OR | 84 km west | 130 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
| Benton County, WA | 89 km north | 103 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
| Klickitat County, WA | 104 km northwest | 157 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
Morrow County within OR
Morrow County ranks 17 of 36 OR counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Baker County, OR at 76 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Lincoln County, OR: under 1 night, winter lows near 40°F. At 2,017 ft, Morrow County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 2,017 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 Heppner, OR, 7 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.