Will Pipes Freeze in Ohio County, WV? 36 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Ohio County
In a normal year Ohio County, WV gets 36 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 52% 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 | 108 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 36 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 11 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 36 nights of risk to 11 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 04/23. For 20°F: 11/28 to 03/18.
How cold Ohio County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°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: 11 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 24°F | 31°F | 41°F | 51°F | 59°F | 64°F | 62°F | 55°F | 45°F | 35°F | 28°F |
Ohio County next to its neighbours
Brooke County, WV, 19 km north, gets 38 nights below 20°F to Ohio County's 36 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio County, WV | - | 108 nights | 36 nights | 22°F |
| Brooke County, WV | 19 km north | 111 nights | 38 nights | 21°F |
| Marshall County, WV | 28 km south | 119 nights | 39 nights | 20°F |
| Belmont County, OH | 31 km west | 118 nights | 43 nights | 21°F |
| Washington County, PA | 33 km east | 121 nights | 48 nights | 20°F |
| Jefferson County, OH | 35 km north | 115 nights | 41 nights | 20°F |
| Greene County, PA | 44 km southeast | 137 nights | 49 nights | 19°F |
Ohio County within WV
Ohio County ranks 38 of 55 WV counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Tucker County, WV at 70 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Mingo County, WV: 25 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 1,243 ft, Ohio County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 1,213 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Wheeling Ohio County Airport, WV, 9 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.