Will Pipes Freeze in Scioto County, OH? 28 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Scioto County
In a normal year Scioto County, OH gets 28 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 44% 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 | 109 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 28 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 8 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 28 nights of risk to 8 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 10/24, last around 04/21. For 20°F: 11/26 to 03/15.
How cold Scioto County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, December: 8 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 24°F | 31°F | 40°F | 52°F | 60°F | 64°F | 62°F | 55°F | 43°F | 33°F | 27°F |
Scioto County next to its neighbours
Greenup County, KY, 29 km south, gets 36 nights below 20°F to Scioto County's 28 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scioto County, OH | - | 109 nights | 28 nights | 22°F |
| Greenup County, KY | 29 km south | 119 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Pike County, OH | 29 km north | 120 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| Jackson County, OH | 40 km northeast | 121 nights | 40 nights | 21°F |
| Adams County, OH | 42 km west | 117 nights | 39 nights | 20°F |
| Lewis County, KY | 45 km southwest | 118 nights | 37 nights | 23°F |
| Lawrence County, OH | 48 km southeast | 122 nights | 40 nights | 22°F |
Scioto County within OH
Scioto County ranks 88 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. At 516 ft, Scioto County sits 400 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 Lucasville, OH, 8 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.