Will Pipes Freeze in Westchester County, NY? 40 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Westchester County
In a normal year Westchester County, NY gets 40 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 56% 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 | 115 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 40 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 11 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 40 nights of risk to 11 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 10/31, last around 04/12. For 20°F: 12/06 to 03/11.
How cold Westchester County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 22°F; the coldest month, January, averages 19°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: 11 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19°F | 21°F | 28°F | 38°F | 48°F | 57°F | 63°F | 61°F | 54°F | 43°F | 33°F | 25°F |
Westchester County next to its neighbours
Rockland County, NY, 23 km west, gets 43 nights below 20°F to Westchester County's 40 nights. Bergen County, NJ, 35 km southwest, gets 30 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westchester County, NY | - | 115 nights | 40 nights | 19°F |
| Rockland County, NY | 23 km west | 120 nights | 43 nights | 18°F |
| Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 29 km northeast | 130 nights | 48 nights | 19°F |
| Putnam County, NY | 31 km north | 131 nights | 56 nights | 17°F |
| Bergen County, NJ | 35 km southwest | 101 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Bronx County, NY | 35 km south | 66 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
| Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, CT | 45 km east | 96 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
Westchester County within NY
Westchester County ranks 55 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 578 ft, Westchester County sits 309 ft below the state's median county elevation of 888 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 Westchester County Airport, NY, 10 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.