Will Pipes Freeze in Oconee County, SC? 12 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Oconee County
In a normal year Oconee County, SC gets 12 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 28% 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 | 78 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 12 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 12 nights of risk to 1 night. 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 10/30, last around 04/11. For 20°F: 12/07 to 02/27.
How cold Oconee County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°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: 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 31°F | 37°F | 45°F | 55°F | 63°F | 67°F | 66°F | 60°F | 48°F | 37°F | 32°F |
Oconee County next to its neighbours
Rabun County, GA, 35 km northwest, gets 15 nights below 20°F to Oconee County's 12 nights. Stephens County, GA, 30 km southwest, gets 6 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oconee County, SC | - | 78 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Stephens County, GA | 30 km southwest | 53 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
| Pickens County, SC | 34 km northeast | 74 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Rabun County, GA | 35 km northwest | 88 nights | 15 nights | 30°F |
| Franklin County, GA | 44 km south | 56 nights | 6 nights | 32°F |
| Habersham County, GA | 44 km west | 90 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Hart County, GA | 45 km south | 49 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
Oconee County within SC
Oconee County ranks 5 of 46 SC counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Cherokee County, SC at 18 nights, with a 28°F average winter low. The fewest is Charleston County, SC: under 1 night, winter lows near 45°F. At 908 ft, Oconee County sits 648 ft above the state's median county elevation of 260 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 Walhalla, SC, 1 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.