Will Pipes Freeze in Utah County, UT? 34 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Utah County
In a normal year Utah County, UT gets 34 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 50% 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 | 114 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 34 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 7 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 34 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 10/18, last around 04/25. For 20°F: 11/19 to 03/07.
How cold Utah County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°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 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 26°F | 33°F | 39°F | 47°F | 55°F | 62°F | 61°F | 52°F | 41°F | 31°F | 23°F |
Utah County next to its neighbours
Wasatch County, UT, 49 km northeast, gets 117 nights below 20°F to Utah County's 34 nights. Salt Lake County, UT, 65 km north, gets 22 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah County, UT | - | 114 nights | 34 nights | 22°F |
| Wasatch County, UT | 49 km northeast | 217 nights | 117 nights | 13°F |
| Salt Lake County, UT | 65 km north | 96 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Sanpete County, UT | 83 km south | 188 nights | 87 nights | 11°F |
| Summit County, UT | 102 km northeast | 214 nights | 110 nights | 10°F |
| Carbon County, UT | 105 km southeast | 146 nights | 52 nights | 20°F |
| Juab County, UT | 106 km southwest | 174 nights | 78 nights | 16°F |
Utah County within UT
Utah County ranks 28 of 29 UT counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Rich County, UT at 138 nights, with a 6°F average winter low. The fewest is Salt Lake County, UT: 22 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 4,559 ft, Utah County sits 1,248 ft below the state's median county elevation of 5,807 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 Spanish Fk Pwr House, UT, 7 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. What a "fair" or "distant" station match means is in the method guide.