Will Pipes Freeze in Wilkes County, NC? 20 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Wilkes County
In a normal year Wilkes County, NC gets 20 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 37% 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 | 20 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 3 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 20 nights of risk to 3 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 10/29, last around 04/10. For 20°F: 12/06 to 02/26.
How cold Wilkes County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, January, averages 27°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: 3 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 29°F | 36°F | 44°F | 53°F | 62°F | 66°F | 65°F | 58°F | 46°F | 35°F | 30°F |
Wilkes County next to its neighbours
Alleghany County, NC, 31 km north, gets 35 nights below 20°F to Wilkes County's 20 nights. Alexander County, NC, 32 km south, gets 9 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes County, NC | - | 101 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
| Alleghany County, NC | 31 km north | 109 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Alexander County, NC | 32 km south | 67 nights | 9 nights | 29°F |
| Ashe County, NC | 40 km northwest | 124 nights | 44 nights | 22°F |
| Caldwell County, NC | 41 km southwest | 85 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Yadkin County, NC | 45 km east | 105 nights | 25 nights | 25°F |
| Surry County, NC | 49 km northeast | 111 nights | 25 nights | 25°F |
Wilkes County within NC
Wilkes County ranks 22 of 100 NC counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Swain County, NC at 49 nights, with a 24°F average winter low. The fewest is Carteret County, NC: 3 nights, winter lows near 39°F. At 1,209 ft, Wilkes County sits 736 ft above the state's median county elevation of 473 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 N Wilkesboro, NC, 5 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.