Will Pipes Freeze in Tulare County, CA? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Tulare County
In a normal year Tulare County, CA gets 2 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 8% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs December to December, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 40 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 2 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 2 nights of risk to none. 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 12/09, last around 03/12.
How cold Tulare County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 36°F; the coldest month, December, averages 35°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 38°F | 41°F | 43°F | 50°F | 58°F | 65°F | 64°F | 58°F | 49°F | 41°F | 35°F |
Tulare County next to its neighbours
Inyo County, CA, 129 km east, gets 8 nights below 20°F to Tulare County's 2 nights. Kings County, CA, 94 km west, gets under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tulare County, CA | - | 40 nights | 2 nights | 36°F |
| Kings County, CA | 94 km west | 27 nights | under 1 night | 37°F |
| Fresno County, CA | 98 km northwest | 12 nights | none | 39°F |
| Kern County, CA | 98 km south | 19 nights | none | 39°F |
| Inyo County, CA | 129 km east | 82 nights | 8 nights | 28°F |
| Madera County, CA | 139 km northwest | 41 nights | 1 night | 36°F |
| San Luis Obispo County, CA | 177 km southwest | 34 nights | under 1 night | 38°F |
Tulare County within CA
Tulare County ranks 19 of 58 CA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Mono County, CA at 130 nights, with a 13°F average winter low. The fewest is Orange County, CA: none, winter lows near 46°F. At 2,314 ft, Tulare County sits 1,015 ft above the state's median county elevation of 1,298 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
A few nights a year catches houses that were never built for it: pipes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Ash Mountain, CA, 30 km away (fair 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.