Will Pipes Freeze in Suffolk County, NY? 29 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Suffolk County
In a normal year Suffolk County, NY gets 29 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 45% 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 | 101 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 29 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 6 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 29 nights of risk to 6 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 04/06. For 20°F: 12/20 to 03/06.
How cold Suffolk County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February: 6 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 25°F | 31°F | 40°F | 49°F | 58°F | 65°F | 64°F | 58°F | 47°F | 38°F | 29°F |
Suffolk County next to its neighbours
South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT, 40 km north, gets 32 nights below 20°F to Suffolk County's 29 nights. Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, CT, 51 km northwest, gets 28 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk County, NY | - | 101 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 40 km north | 106 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
| Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, CT | 51 km northwest | 96 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
| Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region, CT | 56 km north | 125 nights | 45 nights | 20°F |
| Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, CT | 72 km northwest | 131 nights | 48 nights | 19°F |
| Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 73 km northwest | 130 nights | 48 nights | 19°F |
| Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 78 km northeast | 118 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
Suffolk County within NY
Suffolk County ranks 56 of 62 NY counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Franklin County, NY at 107 nights, with a 7°F average winter low. The fewest is Bronx County, NY: 16 nights, winter lows near 30°F. At 55 ft, Suffolk County sits 833 ft below the state's median county elevation of 888 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 Riverhead Rsch Farm, NY, 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.