Will Pipes Freeze in Spokane County, WA? 31 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Spokane County
In a normal year Spokane County, WA gets 31 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 47% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs October to March, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 135 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 31 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 31 nights of risk to 9 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 10/12, last around 04/26. For 20°F: 11/18 to 03/01.
How cold Spokane County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, December, averages 24°F overnight. 9 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, November, December: 9 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 26°F | 31°F | 36°F | 44°F | 50°F | 56°F | 55°F | 47°F | 37°F | 30°F | 24°F |
Spokane County next to its neighbours
Lincoln County, WA, 76 km west, gets 46 nights below 20°F to Spokane County's 31 nights. Kootenai County, ID, 53 km east, gets 29 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spokane County, WA | - | 135 nights | 31 nights | 25°F |
| Kootenai County, ID | 53 km east | 139 nights | 29 nights | 25°F |
| Benewah County, ID | 73 km southeast | 151 nights | 32 nights | 24°F |
| Lincoln County, WA | 76 km west | 169 nights | 46 nights | 21°F |
| Whitman County, WA | 80 km south | 128 nights | 26 nights | 27°F |
| Stevens County, WA | 92 km north | 159 nights | 44 nights | 21°F |
| Bonner County, ID | 97 km northeast | 172 nights | 42 nights | 23°F |
Spokane County within WA
Spokane County ranks 10 of 39 WA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Ferry County, WA at 62 nights, with a 18°F average winter low. The fewest is Island County, WA: 1 night, winter lows near 37°F. At 2,349 ft, Spokane County sits 729 ft above the state's median county elevation of 1,620 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 Spokane International Airport, WA, 9 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.