Will Pipes Freeze in Salt Lake County, UT? 22 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Salt Lake County
In a normal year Salt Lake County, UT gets 22 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 39% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs November to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 96 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 22 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 4 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 22 nights of risk to 4 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 11/08, last around 03/31. For 20°F: 12/11 to 02/03.
How cold Salt Lake County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, January, averages 26°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, December: 4 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26°F | 30°F | 38°F | 43°F | 51°F | 60°F | 69°F | 67°F | 57°F | 45°F | 35°F | 27°F |
Salt Lake County next to its neighbours
Davis County, UT, 47 km northwest, gets 39 nights below 20°F to Salt Lake County's 22 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake County, UT | - | 96 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Davis County, UT | 47 km northwest | 124 nights | 39 nights | 21°F |
| Morgan County, UT | 55 km northeast | 192 nights | 86 nights | 13°F |
| Utah County, UT | 65 km south | 114 nights | 34 nights | 22°F |
| Weber County, UT | 67 km north | 189 nights | 86 nights | 12°F |
| Wasatch County, UT | 74 km southeast | 217 nights | 117 nights | 13°F |
| Summit County, UT | 84 km east | 214 nights | 110 nights | 10°F |
Salt Lake County within UT
Salt Lake County ranks 29 of 29 UT counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Rich County, UT at 138 nights, with a 6°F average winter low. At 4,282 ft, Salt Lake County sits 1,525 ft below the state's median county elevation of 5,807 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Salt Lake Triad Ctr, UT, 12 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.