Will Pipes Freeze in Orangeburg County, SC? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Orangeburg County
In a normal year Orangeburg County, SC gets 2 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 11% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 38 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 2 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 2 nights of risk to none. 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 11/19, last around 03/15. For 20°F: 01/08 to 01/25.
How cold Orangeburg County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 38°F; the coldest month, January, averages 37°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37°F | 39°F | 45°F | 52°F | 61°F | 69°F | 72°F | 71°F | 66°F | 55°F | 44°F | 39°F |
Orangeburg County next to its neighbours
Calhoun County, SC, 27 km north, gets 3 nights below 20°F to Orangeburg County's 2 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orangeburg County, SC | - | 38 nights | 2 nights | 37°F |
| Calhoun County, SC | 27 km north | 41 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Bamberg County, SC | 35 km southwest | 41 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Dorchester County, SC | 54 km southeast | 45 nights | 4 nights | 35°F |
| Clarendon County, SC | 60 km northeast | 48 nights | 4 nights | 35°F |
| Barnwell County, SC | 62 km west | 46 nights | 5 nights | 35°F |
| Sumter County, SC | 66 km northeast | 55 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
Orangeburg County within SC
Orangeburg County ranks 41 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 180 ft, Orangeburg County sits 80 ft below the state's median county elevation of 260 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Which pipe gets which threshold: the 32, 20, 10 and 0 rule.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Orangeburg Municipal Airport, SC, 6 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.