Will Pipes Freeze in Sitka City and Borough, AK? 11 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Sitka City and Borough
In a normal year Sitka City and Borough, AK gets 11 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 27% 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 | 96 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 11 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 11 nights of risk to 2 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 10/18, last around 05/03. For 20°F: 12/16 to 02/28.
How cold Sitka City and Borough nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°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: 2 nights a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 30°F | 31°F | 35°F | 41°F | 47°F | 51°F | 51°F | 47°F | 40°F | 34°F | 32°F |
Sitka City and Borough next to its neighbours
Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, AK, 138 km north, gets 37 nights below 20°F to Sitka City and Borough's 11 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sitka City and Borough, AK | - | 96 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, AK | 138 km north | 154 nights | 37 nights | 24°F |
| Petersburg Borough, AK | 143 km east | 99 nights | 20 nights | 28°F |
| Juneau City and Borough, AK | 149 km northeast | 144 nights | 41 nights | 21°F |
| Haines Borough, AK | 212 km north | 161 nights | 69 nights | 17°F |
| Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, AK | 216 km southeast | 91 nights | 12 nights | 31°F |
| Wrangell City and Borough, AK | 233 km southeast | 92 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
Sitka City and Borough within AK
Sitka City and Borough ranks 25 of 26 AK counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AK at 192 nights, with a -19°F average winter low. The fewest is Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK: 10 nights, winter lows near 32°F. At 35 ft, Sitka City and Borough sits 787 ft below the state's median county elevation of 822 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Sitka (1 mi NE), AK, 15 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.