Will Pipes Freeze in Pickaway County, OH? 38 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Pickaway County
In a normal year Pickaway County, OH gets 38 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 54% 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 | 112 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 38 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 12 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 3 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 38 nights of risk to 12 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 10/28, last around 04/17. For 20°F: 12/02 to 03/15.
How cold Pickaway 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: 12 nights a year, and 3 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 24°F | 32°F | 42°F | 53°F | 62°F | 65°F | 63°F | 56°F | 45°F | 35°F | 28°F |
Pickaway County next to its neighbours
Ross County, OH, 36 km south, gets 40 nights below 20°F to Pickaway County's 38 nights. Franklin County, OH, 36 km north, gets 36 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickaway County, OH | - | 112 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| Franklin County, OH | 36 km north | 112 nights | 36 nights | 21°F |
| Ross County, OH | 36 km south | 116 nights | 40 nights | 21°F |
| Fayette County, OH | 37 km west | 115 nights | 39 nights | 20°F |
| Fairfield County, OH | 38 km east | 118 nights | 41 nights | 21°F |
| Madison County, OH | 41 km northwest | 128 nights | 48 nights | 19°F |
| Hocking County, OH | 52 km east | 130 nights | 46 nights | 19°F |
Pickaway County within OH
Pickaway County ranks 75 of 88 OH counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Williams County, OH at 61 nights, with a 19°F average winter low. The fewest is Scioto County, OH: 28 nights, winter lows near 24°F. At 754 ft, Pickaway County sits 162 ft below the state's median county elevation of 916 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 Circleville, OH, 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.