Will Pipes Freeze in Ventura County, CA? under 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Ventura County
In a normal year Ventura County, CA gets under 1 night at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 2% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 23 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | under 1 night |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Month by month
Nights at or below 20°F in a normal year.
First 32°F night is usually around 11/15, last around 03/21. For 20°F: 12/31 to 01/02.
How cold Ventura County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 37°F; the coldest month, December, averages 36°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37°F | 38°F | 41°F | 43°F | 48°F | 52°F | 56°F | 55°F | 53°F | 47°F | 40°F | 36°F |
Ventura County next to its neighbours
The six closest counties all sit within a night of Ventura County.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ventura County, CA | - | 23 nights | under 1 night | 37°F |
| Los Angeles County, CA | 82 km east | under 1 night | none | 45°F |
| Santa Barbara County, CA | 85 km west | 38 nights | under 1 night | 35°F |
| Kern County, CA | 116 km north | 19 nights | none | 39°F |
| Orange County, CA | 146 km southeast | 1 night | none | 46°F |
| San Luis Obispo County, CA | 166 km northwest | 34 nights | under 1 night | 38°F |
| Kings County, CA | 200 km north | 27 nights | under 1 night | 37°F |
Ventura County within CA
Ventura County ranks 38 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 854 ft, Ventura County sits 444 ft below 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 Ojai, CA, 13 km away (close 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.