Will Pipes Freeze in Washington County, IL? 30 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Washington County
In a normal year Washington County, IL gets 30 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 46% 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 | 95 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 30 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 30 nights of risk to 9 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 10/26, last around 04/07. For 20°F: 11/26 to 03/09.
How cold Washington County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 21°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, December: 9 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21°F | 25°F | 34°F | 45°F | 56°F | 64°F | 67°F | 65°F | 58°F | 46°F | 35°F | 26°F |
Washington County next to its neighbours
Clinton County, IL, 28 km north, gets 35 nights below 20°F to Washington County's 30 nights. Perry County, IL, 30 km south, gets 29 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, IL | - | 95 nights | 30 nights | 21°F |
| Clinton County, IL | 28 km north | 100 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Perry County, IL | 30 km south | 96 nights | 29 nights | 23°F |
| Jefferson County, IL | 43 km east | 108 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
| St. Clair County, IL | 46 km west | 94 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
| Randolph County, IL | 48 km southwest | 106 nights | 33 nights | 22°F |
| Marion County, IL | 54 km northeast | 102 nights | 34 nights | 21°F |
Washington County within IL
Washington County ranks 87 of 102 IL counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Jo Daviess County, IL at 76 nights, with a 14°F average winter low. The fewest is Alexander County, IL: 21 nights, winter lows near 29°F. At 494 ft, Washington County sits 137 ft below the state's median county elevation of 632 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Nashville (1 mi E), IL, 5 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.