Will Pipes Freeze in New Hanover County, NC? 3 nights a Year
Freeze nights in New Hanover County
In a normal year New Hanover County, NC gets 3 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 14% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs January to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 42 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 3 nights |
| 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 3 nights 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 11/15, last around 03/20. For 20°F: 01/04 to 01/30.
How cold New Hanover County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 37°F; the coldest month, January, averages 36°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 38°F | 44°F | 52°F | 62°F | 69°F | 73°F | 72°F | 67°F | 55°F | 44°F | 38°F |
New Hanover County next to its neighbours
Pender County, NC, 37 km north, gets 6 nights below 20°F to New Hanover County's 3 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hanover County, NC | - | 42 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Pender County, NC | 37 km north | 57 nights | 6 nights | 32°F |
| Brunswick County, NC | 37 km southwest | 46 nights | 4 nights | 36°F |
| Columbus County, NC | 72 km west | 59 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Onslow County, NC | 73 km northeast | 58 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
| Bladen County, NC | 77 km northwest | 62 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Duplin County, NC | 84 km north | 65 nights | 9 nights | 30°F |
New Hanover County within NC
New Hanover County ranks 98 of 100 NC counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Swain County, NC at 49 nights, with a 24°F average winter low. The fewest is Carteret County, NC: 3 nights, winter lows near 39°F. At 15 ft, New Hanover County sits 458 ft below the state's median county elevation of 473 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Wilmington (7 mi SE), NC, 5 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.