Will Pipes Freeze in Washington County, OK? 33 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Washington County
In a normal year Washington County, OK gets 33 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 | 101 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 33 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 7 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 33 nights of risk to 7 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 10/24, last around 04/11. For 20°F: 11/21 to 03/06.
How cold Washington County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°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: 7 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 26°F | 35°F | 45°F | 55°F | 65°F | 69°F | 67°F | 58°F | 46°F | 34°F | 26°F |
Washington County next to its neighbours
Chautauqua County, KS, 58 km northwest, gets 34 nights below 20°F to Washington County's 33 nights. Nowata County, OK, 28 km east, gets 24 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, OK | - | 101 nights | 33 nights | 22°F |
| Nowata County, OK | 28 km east | 84 nights | 24 nights | 26°F |
| Rogers County, OK | 45 km southeast | 92 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Osage County, OK | 46 km west | 90 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Montgomery County, KS | 56 km north | 97 nights | 29 nights | 23°F |
| Chautauqua County, KS | 58 km northwest | 104 nights | 34 nights | 22°F |
| Craig County, OK | 63 km east | 82 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
Washington County within OK
Washington County ranks 8 of 77 OK counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Beaver County, OK at 55 nights, with a 21°F average winter low. The fewest is Choctaw County, OK: 7 nights, winter lows near 34°F. At 717 ft, Washington County sits 292 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,009 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Bartlesville 3, OK, 11 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.