Will Pipes Freeze in Wicomico County, MD? 13 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Wicomico County
In a normal year Wicomico County, MD gets 13 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 30% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 74 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 13 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 13 nights of risk to 2 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 11/07, last around 04/03. For 20°F: 12/24 to 02/26.
How cold Wicomico County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°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: 2 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 30°F | 37°F | 46°F | 55°F | 64°F | 69°F | 67°F | 61°F | 50°F | 40°F | 33°F |
Wicomico County next to its neighbours
Worcester County, MD, 32 km southeast, gets 17 nights below 20°F to Wicomico County's 13 nights. Talbot County, MD, 64 km northwest, gets 12 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wicomico County, MD | - | 74 nights | 13 nights | 29°F |
| Worcester County, MD | 32 km southeast | 85 nights | 17 nights | 30°F |
| Dorchester County, MD | 37 km west | 77 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Somerset County, MD | 38 km southwest | 77 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Sussex County, DE | 43 km northeast | 83 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Caroline County, MD | 59 km north | 87 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
| Talbot County, MD | 64 km northwest | 69 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
Wicomico County within MD
Wicomico County ranks 21 of 24 MD counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Garrett County, MD at 57 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Baltimore city, MD: 10 nights, winter lows near 32°F. At 36 ft, Wicomico County sits 101 ft below the state's median county elevation of 138 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 Salisbury, MD, 4 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.