Will Pipes Freeze in San Bernardino County, CA? under 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in San Bernardino County
In a normal year San Bernardino County, CA gets under 1 night at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 6% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs January to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 28 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | under 1 night |
| 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 under 1 night 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 11/27, last around 02/14. For 20°F: 12/31 to 01/03.
How cold San Bernardino County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 37°F; the coldest month, December, averages 35°F overnight. 4 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 41°F | 47°F | 53°F | 61°F | 70°F | 77°F | 75°F | 68°F | 55°F | 43°F | 35°F |
San Bernardino County next to its neighbours
San Diego County, CA, 211 km south, gets 4 nights below 20°F to San Bernardino County's under 1 night. Riverside County, CA, 126 km south, gets under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Bernardino County, CA | - | 28 nights | under 1 night | 36°F |
| Riverside County, CA | 126 km south | 14 nights | under 1 night | 40°F |
| Clark County, NV | 184 km northeast | 16 nights | none | 39°F |
| Orange County, CA | 197 km southwest | 1 night | none | 46°F |
| Los Angeles County, CA | 204 km west | under 1 night | none | 45°F |
| San Diego County, CA | 211 km south | 57 nights | 4 nights | 36°F |
| Imperial County, CA | 216 km south | 5 nights | none | 42°F |
San Bernardino County within CA
San Bernardino County ranks 26 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 1,298 ft, San Bernardino County sits close to 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 Baker, CA, 48 km away (fair 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.