Will Pipes Freeze in Yakima County, WA? 26 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Yakima County
In a normal year Yakima 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 | 134 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 26 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 26 nights of risk to 5 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 10/23, last around 04/08. For 20°F: 12/01 to 02/06.
How cold Yakima County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, December, averages 24°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, December: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 28°F | 32°F | 37°F | 45°F | 51°F | 57°F | 56°F | 48°F | 37°F | 29°F | 24°F |
Yakima County next to its neighbours
Klickitat County, WA, 65 km south, gets 30 nights below 20°F to Yakima County's 26 nights. Benton County, WA, 97 km east, gets 19 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima County, WA | - | 134 nights | 26 nights | 25°F |
| Klickitat County, WA | 65 km south | 157 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Kittitas County, WA | 74 km north | 148 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Benton County, WA | 97 km east | 103 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
| Skamania County, WA | 105 km southwest | 145 nights | 21 nights | 27°F |
| Sherman County, OR | 118 km south | 130 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
| Gilliam County, OR | 125 km south | 127 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
Yakima County within WA
Yakima County ranks 13 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 1,228 ft, Yakima County sits 391 ft below 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.
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 Yakima #2, WA, 20 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.