Will Pipes Freeze in Philadelphia County, PA? 18 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Philadelphia County
In a normal year Philadelphia County, PA gets 18 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 34% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 77 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 18 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 3 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 18 nights of risk to 3 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 11/17, last around 03/30. For 20°F: 12/27 to 02/25.
How cold Philadelphia County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, January, averages 27°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February: 3 nights a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 29°F | 35°F | 45°F | 55°F | 65°F | 70°F | 68°F | 61°F | 50°F | 40°F | 32°F |
Philadelphia County next to its neighbours
Camden County, NJ, 27 km southeast, gets 27 nights below 20°F to Philadelphia County's 18 nights. Delaware County, PA, 25 km southwest, gets 15 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia County, PA | - | 77 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
| Delaware County, PA | 25 km southwest | 74 nights | 15 nights | 26°F |
| Camden County, NJ | 27 km southeast | 104 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Montgomery County, PA | 30 km northwest | 130 nights | 47 nights | 21°F |
| Gloucester County, NJ | 32 km south | 99 nights | 24 nights | 25°F |
| Bucks County, PA | 36 km north | 106 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
| Burlington County, NJ | 43 km east | 108 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
Philadelphia County within PA
Philadelphia County ranks 66 of 67 PA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Susquehanna County, PA at 80 nights, with a 15°F average winter low. The fewest is Delaware County, PA: 15 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 100 ft, Philadelphia County sits 1,041 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,141 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 Phila Franklin Inst, PA, 7 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.