Will Pipes Freeze in Richmond County, NC? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Richmond County
In a normal year Richmond County, NC gets 10 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 25% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. 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 | 67 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 10 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 10 nights of risk to under 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 03/30. For 20°F: 12/21 to 02/14.
How cold Richmond County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 34°F; the coldest month, January, averages 33°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: under 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33°F | 35°F | 41°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 71°F | 70°F | 64°F | 51°F | 41°F | 35°F |
Richmond County next to its neighbours
Hoke County, NC, 47 km east, gets 14 nights below 20°F to Richmond County's 10 nights. Scotland County, NC, 31 km southeast, gets 6 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond County, NC | - | 67 nights | 10 nights | 33°F |
| Scotland County, NC | 31 km southeast | 57 nights | 6 nights | 34°F |
| Anson County, NC | 32 km west | 58 nights | 6 nights | 32°F |
| Montgomery County, NC | 39 km north | 62 nights | 8 nights | 32°F |
| Moore County, NC | 41 km northeast | 62 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Marlboro County, SC | 45 km south | 58 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
| Hoke County, NC | 47 km east | 80 nights | 14 nights | 30°F |
Richmond County within NC
Richmond County ranks 52 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 290 ft, Richmond County sits 183 ft below the state's median county elevation of 473 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.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Hamlet, NC, 14 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.