Will Pipes Freeze in Worcester County, MD? 17 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Worcester County
In a normal year Worcester County, MD gets 17 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 34% 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 | 85 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 17 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 17 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 10/31, last around 04/10. For 20°F: 12/16 to 03/02.
How cold Worcester County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 31°F | 37°F | 46°F | 55°F | 65°F | 69°F | 67°F | 62°F | 50°F | 40°F | 34°F |
Worcester County next to its neighbours
Caroline County, MD, 85 km northwest, gets 19 nights below 20°F to Worcester County's 17 nights. Wicomico County, MD, 32 km northwest, gets 13 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester County, MD | - | 85 nights | 17 nights | 30°F |
| Wicomico County, MD | 32 km northwest | 74 nights | 13 nights | 29°F |
| Sussex County, DE | 50 km north | 83 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Somerset County, MD | 50 km west | 77 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Accomack County, VA | 64 km southwest | 62 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Dorchester County, MD | 68 km west | 77 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Caroline County, MD | 85 km northwest | 87 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
Worcester County within MD
Worcester County ranks 14 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 34 ft, Worcester County sits 104 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.
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 Snow Hill (4 mi N), MD, 6 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.