Will Pipes Freeze in Placer County, CA? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Placer County
In a normal year Placer County, CA 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 10% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs December to February, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 58 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 11/21, last around 04/12. For 20°F: 01/03 to 01/09.
How cold Placer County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 35°F; the coldest month, December, averages 35°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35°F | 35°F | 37°F | 40°F | 47°F | 54°F | 61°F | 60°F | 55°F | 47°F | 40°F | 35°F |
Placer County next to its neighbours
Nevada County, CA, 27 km north, gets 14 nights below 20°F to Placer County's 2 nights. Yuba County, CA, 58 km northwest, gets under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Placer County, CA | - | 58 nights | 2 nights | 35°F |
| Nevada County, CA | 27 km north | 122 nights | 14 nights | 30°F |
| El Dorado County, CA | 35 km southeast | 87 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Yuba County, CA | 58 km northwest | 33 nights | under 1 night | 37°F |
| Sierra County, CA | 60 km north | 220 nights | 72 nights | 20°F |
| Amador County, CA | 69 km south | 31 nights | 1 night | 37°F |
| Carson City, NV | 85 km east | 149 nights | 45 nights | 24°F |
Placer County within CA
Placer County ranks 16 of 58 CA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Mono County, CA at 130 nights, with a 13°F average winter low. The fewest is Orange County, CA: none, winter lows near 46°F. At 3,277 ft, Placer County sits 1,979 ft above the state's median county elevation of 1,298 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
A few nights a year catches houses that were never built for it: pipes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Georgetown Ranger Station, CA, 16 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. What a "fair" or "distant" station match means is in the method guide.