Will Pipes Freeze in New York County, NY? 17 nights a Year
Freeze nights in New York County
In a normal year New York County, NY gets 17 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 December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 68 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 17 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 3 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 17 nights of risk to 3 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 11/20, last around 03/30. For 20°F: 12/26 to 03/01.
How cold New York County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 30°F; the coldest month, January, averages 28°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February: 3 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 30°F | 36°F | 46°F | 55°F | 64°F | 70°F | 69°F | 62°F | 51°F | 42°F | 34°F |
New York County next to its neighbours
Hudson County, NJ, 10 km southwest, gets 20 nights below 20°F to New York County's 17 nights. Bronx County, NY, 13 km northeast, gets 16 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York County, NY | - | 68 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Hudson County, NJ | 10 km southwest | 80 nights | 20 nights | 26°F |
| Bronx County, NY | 13 km northeast | 66 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
| Kings County, NY | 16 km south | 66 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Queens County, NY | 17 km southeast | 71 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
| Bergen County, NJ | 22 km northwest | 101 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Essex County, NJ | 23 km west | 117 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
New York County within NY
New York County ranks 59 of 62 NY counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Franklin County, NY at 107 nights, with a 7°F average winter low. The fewest is Bronx County, NY: 16 nights, winter lows near 30°F. At 81 ft, New York County sits 807 ft below the state's median county elevation of 888 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 New York Cntrl Park Twr, NY, 0 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.