Will Pipes Freeze in Walton County, FL? 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Walton County
In a normal year Walton County, FL gets 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 7% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs January to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 25 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 1 night |
| 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 1 night 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 11/28, last around 02/28. For 20°F: 01/09 to 01/21.
How cold Walton County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 42°F; the coldest month, January, averages 40°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40°F | 44°F | 49°F | 55°F | 64°F | 71°F | 73°F | 72°F | 68°F | 58°F | 47°F | 43°F |
Walton County next to its neighbours
Okaloosa County, FL, 41 km west, gets 2 nights below 20°F to Walton County's 1 night. Bay County, FL, 76 km southeast, gets under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walton County, FL | - | 25 nights | 1 night | 40°F |
| Okaloosa County, FL | 41 km west | 33 nights | 2 nights | 39°F |
| Holmes County, FL | 46 km northeast | 35 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| Washington County, FL | 49 km east | 26 nights | 1 night | 39°F |
| Geneva County, AL | 67 km northeast | 43 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Bay County, FL | 76 km southeast | 14 nights | under 1 night | 44°F |
| Covington County, AL | 80 km north | 38 nights | 3 nights | 38°F |
Walton County within FL
Walton County ranks 13 of 67 FL counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Holmes County, FL at 2 nights, with a 40°F average winter low. The fewest is Broward County, FL: none, winter lows near 60°F. At 121 ft, Walton County sits 68 ft above the state's median county elevation of 54 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 De Funiak Springs (1 mi E), FL, 18 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.