Will Pipes Freeze in Yamhill County, OR? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Yamhill County
In a normal year Yamhill County, OR gets 2 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 9% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs December to January, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 46 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 2 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 2 nights of risk to under 1 night. 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 04/05. For 20°F: 12/20 to 12/31.
How cold Yamhill County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 35°F; the coldest month, December, averages 35°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35°F | 36°F | 38°F | 40°F | 46°F | 50°F | 54°F | 54°F | 50°F | 44°F | 39°F | 35°F |
Yamhill County next to its neighbours
Washington County, OR, 38 km northeast, gets 4 nights below 20°F to Yamhill County's 2 nights. Tillamook County, OR, 42 km northwest, gets under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yamhill County, OR | - | 46 nights | 2 nights | 35°F |
| Washington County, OR | 38 km northeast | 60 nights | 4 nights | 33°F |
| Polk County, OR | 39 km south | 64 nights | 3 nights | 34°F |
| Tillamook County, OR | 42 km northwest | 34 nights | under 1 night | 38°F |
| Marion County, OR | 70 km southeast | 75 nights | 3 nights | 33°F |
| Multnomah County, OR | 78 km northeast | 31 nights | 2 nights | 37°F |
| Columbia County, OR | 79 km north | 85 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
Yamhill County within OR
Yamhill County ranks 29 of 36 OR counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Baker County, OR at 76 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Lincoln County, OR: under 1 night, winter lows near 40°F. At 975 ft, Yamhill County sits 1,042 ft below the state's median county elevation of 2,017 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
A few nights a year catches houses that were never built for it: pipes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Mc Minnville, OR, 12 km away (fair 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.