Will Pipes Freeze in Washington County, OH? 34 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Washington County
In a normal year Washington County, OH 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 49% 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 | 112 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 34 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 10 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 34 nights of risk to 10 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 10/27, last around 04/18. For 20°F: 11/30 to 03/14.
How cold Washington County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°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, March, December: 10 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 24°F | 31°F | 41°F | 52°F | 61°F | 65°F | 63°F | 56°F | 44°F | 34°F | 28°F |
Washington County next to its neighbours
Pleasants County, WV, 30 km east, gets 38 nights below 20°F to Washington County's 34 nights. Wood County, WV, 27 km south, gets 31 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, OH | - | 112 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Wood County, WV | 27 km south | 106 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
| Pleasants County, WV | 30 km east | 119 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| Noble County, OH | 35 km north | 124 nights | 45 nights | 20°F |
| Morgan County, OH | 37 km northwest | 127 nights | 44 nights | 20°F |
| Monroe County, OH | 46 km northeast | 122 nights | 42 nights | 20°F |
| Ritchie County, WV | 48 km southeast | 128 nights | 42 nights | 21°F |
Washington County within OH
Washington County ranks 84 of 88 OH counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Williams County, OH at 61 nights, with a 19°F average winter low. The fewest is Scioto County, OH: 28 nights, winter lows near 24°F. At 733 ft, Washington County sits 183 ft below the state's median county elevation of 916 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Marietta Wastewater Plant, OH, 7 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. How a county figure is built from stations: how the numbers are made.