Will Pipes Freeze in Ocean County, NJ? 34 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Ocean County
In a normal year Ocean County, NJ gets 34 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 50% 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 | 111 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 34 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 6 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 34 nights of risk to 6 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 10/20, last around 04/23. For 20°F: 11/25 to 03/17.
How cold Ocean County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°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: 6 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 23°F | 29°F | 39°F | 49°F | 59°F | 65°F | 63°F | 55°F | 43°F | 33°F | 27°F |
Ocean County next to its neighbours
Burlington County, NJ, 35 km west, gets 30 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean County, NJ | - | 111 nights | 34 nights | 22°F |
| Burlington County, NJ | 35 km west | 108 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Monmouth County, NJ | 48 km north | 102 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
| Atlantic County, NJ | 55 km southwest | 98 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Mercer County, NJ | 60 km northwest | 107 nights | 31 nights | 23°F |
| Camden County, NJ | 60 km west | 104 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Middlesex County, NJ | 65 km north | 110 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
Ocean County within NJ
Ocean County ranks 9 of 21 NJ counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Sussex County, NJ at 58 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Hudson County, NJ: 20 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 84 ft, Ocean County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 89 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Toms River, NJ, 10 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.