Will Pipes Freeze in Washington County, NY? 77 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Washington County
In a normal year Washington County, NY gets 77 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 81% of US counties.
Risk level: Severe. The risk season runs November to April, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 157 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 77 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 40 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 17 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 77 nights of risk to 40 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 09/29, last around 05/17. For 20°F: 11/01 to 04/11.
How cold Washington County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 11°F; the coldest month, January, averages 8°F overnight. 9 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, March, November, December: 40 nights a year, and 17 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8°F | 9°F | 20°F | 32°F | 43°F | 53°F | 58°F | 56°F | 47°F | 36°F | 27°F | 17°F |
Washington County next to its neighbours
Bennington County, VT, 41 km southeast, gets 81 nights below 20°F to Washington County's 77 nights. Saratoga County, NY, 41 km southwest, gets 68 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, NY | - | 157 nights | 77 nights | 8°F |
| Bennington County, VT | 41 km southeast | 168 nights | 81 nights | 10°F |
| Saratoga County, NY | 41 km southwest | 148 nights | 68 nights | 13°F |
| Warren County, NY | 42 km northwest | 157 nights | 76 nights | 10°F |
| Rutland County, VT | 45 km northeast | 163 nights | 80 nights | 8°F |
| Rensselaer County, NY | 67 km south | 153 nights | 73 nights | 14°F |
| Windham County, VT | 68 km southeast | 167 nights | 77 nights | 10°F |
Washington County within NY
Washington County ranks 15 of 62 NY counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Franklin County, NY at 107 nights, with a 7°F average winter low. The fewest is Bronx County, NY: 16 nights, winter lows near 30°F. At 496 ft, Washington County sits 392 ft below the state's median county elevation of 888 ft.
What to do here
- Treat it as a building fix, not a night-of routine: insulate, heat tape, seal crawlspace vents.
- An automatic leak shutoff pays for itself if one burst is avoided.
- Know where the main shutoff is before the first hard freeze.
At this many nights, foam alone is not the answer: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Glens Falls Farm, NY, 19 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.