Will Pipes Freeze in Northampton County, PA? 39 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Northampton County
In a normal year Northampton County, PA gets 39 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 55% 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 | 122 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 39 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 10 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 39 nights of risk to 10 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 10/25, last around 04/18. For 20°F: 11/23 to 03/16.
How cold Northampton County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 23°F; the coldest month, January, averages 21°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: 10 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21°F | 22°F | 29°F | 39°F | 49°F | 59°F | 64°F | 62°F | 54°F | 43°F | 33°F | 26°F |
Northampton County next to its neighbours
Warren County, NJ, 27 km northeast, gets 47 nights below 20°F to Northampton County's 39 nights. Bucks County, PA, 49 km south, gets 32 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northampton County, PA | - | 122 nights | 39 nights | 21°F |
| Warren County, NJ | 27 km northeast | 134 nights | 47 nights | 19°F |
| Lehigh County, PA | 28 km southwest | 127 nights | 44 nights | 20°F |
| Monroe County, PA | 34 km north | 146 nights | 59 nights | 17°F |
| Carbon County, PA | 38 km northwest | 152 nights | 65 nights | 17°F |
| Hunterdon County, NJ | 39 km southeast | 125 nights | 42 nights | 21°F |
| Bucks County, PA | 49 km south | 106 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
Northampton County within PA
Northampton County ranks 54 of 67 PA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Susquehanna County, PA at 80 nights, with a 15°F average winter low. The fewest is Delaware County, PA: 15 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 517 ft, Northampton County sits 624 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,141 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 Phillipsburg-Easton Brg, NJ, 11 km away (close 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.