Will Pipes Freeze in Orange County, NC? 11 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Orange County
In a normal year Orange County, NC gets 11 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 27% 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 | 74 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 11 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 11 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 11/04, last around 03/31. For 20°F: 12/21 to 02/20.
How cold Orange County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°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 under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 32°F | 38°F | 47°F | 56°F | 64°F | 68°F | 67°F | 61°F | 48°F | 38°F | 33°F |
Orange County next to its neighbours
Alamance County, NC, 25 km west, gets 12 nights below 20°F to Orange County's 11 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County, NC | - | 74 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Durham County, NC | 22 km east | 81 nights | 11 nights | 29°F |
| Alamance County, NC | 25 km west | 77 nights | 12 nights | 30°F |
| Person County, NC | 39 km north | 102 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
| Chatham County, NC | 41 km south | 74 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Caswell County, NC | 42 km northwest | 85 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Granville County, NC | 49 km northeast | 70 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
Orange County within NC
Orange County ranks 48 of 100 NC counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Swain County, NC at 49 nights, with a 24°F average winter low. The fewest is Carteret County, NC: 3 nights, winter lows near 39°F. At 795 ft, Orange County sits 322 ft above the state's median county elevation of 473 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 Durham (11 mi W), NC, 11 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.