Will Pipes Freeze in Sumter County, SC? 5 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Sumter County
In a normal year Sumter County, SC gets 5 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 18% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 55 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 5 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 5 nights of risk to under 1 night. 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 11/07, last around 03/24. For 20°F: 01/01 to 02/03.
How cold Sumter County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 35°F; the coldest month, January, averages 33°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33°F | 35°F | 41°F | 50°F | 58°F | 66°F | 70°F | 69°F | 63°F | 51°F | 40°F | 35°F |
Sumter County next to its neighbours
Kershaw County, SC, 51 km north, gets 6 nights below 20°F to Sumter County's 5 nights. Clarendon County, SC, 32 km southeast, gets 4 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter County, SC | - | 55 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Lee County, SC | 30 km northeast | 52 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Clarendon County, SC | 32 km southeast | 48 nights | 4 nights | 35°F |
| Calhoun County, SC | 46 km southwest | 41 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Richland County, SC | 49 km west | 36 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Kershaw County, SC | 51 km north | 63 nights | 6 nights | 31°F |
| Darlington County, SC | 60 km northeast | 57 nights | 5 nights | 32°F |
Sumter County within SC
Sumter County ranks 28 of 46 SC counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Cherokee County, SC at 18 nights, with a 28°F average winter low. The fewest is Charleston County, SC: under 1 night, winter lows near 45°F. At 151 ft, Sumter County sits 110 ft below the state's median county elevation of 260 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Which pipe gets which threshold: the 32, 20, 10 and 0 rule.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Sumter, SC, 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.