Will Pipes Freeze in Whitman County, WA? 26 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Whitman County
In a normal year Whitman County, WA gets 26 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 42% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs October to March, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 128 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 26 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 8 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 26 nights of risk to 8 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 10/04, last around 04/29. For 20°F: 11/21 to 02/21.
How cold Whitman County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°F; the coldest month, December, averages 27°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, November, December: 8 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 29°F | 33°F | 37°F | 44°F | 48°F | 53°F | 52°F | 46°F | 37°F | 32°F | 27°F |
Whitman County next to its neighbours
Latah County, ID, 62 km east, gets 29 nights below 20°F to Whitman County's 26 nights. Garfield County, WA, 53 km south, gets 25 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitman County, WA | - | 128 nights | 26 nights | 27°F |
| Garfield County, WA | 53 km south | 125 nights | 25 nights | 27°F |
| Latah County, ID | 62 km east | 143 nights | 29 nights | 25°F |
| Columbia County, WA | 74 km southwest | 111 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
| Adams County, WA | 75 km west | 127 nights | 25 nights | 26°F |
| Benewah County, ID | 77 km northeast | 151 nights | 32 nights | 24°F |
| Spokane County, WA | 80 km north | 135 nights | 31 nights | 25°F |
Whitman County within WA
Whitman County ranks 14 of 39 WA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Ferry County, WA at 62 nights, with a 18°F average winter low. The fewest is Island County, WA: 1 night, winter lows near 37°F. At 2,182 ft, Whitman County sits 562 ft above the state's median county elevation of 1,620 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 St John, WA, 21 km away (fair 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.