Will Pipes Freeze in Summers County, WV? 31 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Summers County
In a normal year Summers County, WV 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 November to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 113 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 31 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 31 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 10/30, last around 04/10. For 20°F: 12/02 to 03/05.
How cold Summers County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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: 7 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 26°F | 32°F | 41°F | 50°F | 59°F | 63°F | 62°F | 56°F | 43°F | 33°F | 27°F |
Summers County next to its neighbours
Monroe County, WV, 29 km southeast, gets 48 nights below 20°F to Summers County's 31 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summers County, WV | - | 113 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
| Monroe County, WV | 29 km southeast | 134 nights | 48 nights | 22°F |
| Mercer County, WV | 36 km southwest | 121 nights | 42 nights | 23°F |
| Raleigh County, WV | 38 km west | 133 nights | 47 nights | 20°F |
| Giles County, VA | 40 km south | 122 nights | 37 nights | 23°F |
| Fayette County, WV | 46 km northwest | 118 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
| Greenbrier County, WV | 46 km northeast | 139 nights | 53 nights | 20°F |
Summers County within WV
Summers County ranks 49 of 55 WV counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Tucker County, WV at 70 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Mingo County, WV: 25 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 1,856 ft, Summers County sits 644 ft above the state's median county elevation of 1,213 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 Bluestone Lake, WV, 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.