Will Pipes Freeze in Suffolk County, MA? 30 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Suffolk County
In a normal year Suffolk County, MA gets 30 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 46% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 94 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 30 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 7 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 30 nights of risk to 7 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 11/09, last around 04/04. For 20°F: 12/11 to 03/11.
How cold Suffolk County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, December: 7 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 24°F | 31°F | 41°F | 50°F | 60°F | 66°F | 65°F | 58°F | 47°F | 38°F | 29°F |
Suffolk County next to its neighbours
Norfolk County, MA, 23 km southwest, gets 54 nights below 20°F to Suffolk County's 30 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk County, MA | - | 94 nights | 30 nights | 23°F |
| Norfolk County, MA | 23 km southwest | 138 nights | 54 nights | 21°F |
| Middlesex County, MA | 35 km northwest | 143 nights | 60 nights | 16°F |
| Essex County, MA | 36 km north | 130 nights | 49 nights | 18°F |
| Plymouth County, MA | 45 km southeast | 122 nights | 44 nights | 21°F |
| Bristol County, MA | 66 km south | 124 nights | 41 nights | 20°F |
| Providence County, RI | 70 km southwest | 132 nights | 49 nights | 19°F |
Suffolk County within MA
Suffolk County ranks 12 of 14 MA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Berkshire County, MA at 75 nights, with a 16°F average winter low. The fewest is Nantucket County, MA: 18 nights, winter lows near 29°F. At 5 ft, Suffolk County sits 148 ft below the state's median county elevation of 153 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 Boston Logan International Airport, MA, 3 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. How a county figure is built from stations: how the numbers are made.