Will Pipes Freeze in York County, PA? 38 nights a Year
Freeze nights in York County
In a normal year York County, PA gets 38 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 54% 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 | 120 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 38 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 10 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 38 nights of risk to 10 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 10/19, last around 04/26. For 20°F: 11/26 to 03/15.
How cold York County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 23°F; the coldest month, January, averages 21°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, March, December: 10 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21°F | 23°F | 30°F | 40°F | 50°F | 59°F | 63°F | 61°F | 54°F | 43°F | 33°F | 26°F |
York County next to its neighbours
Adams County, PA, 42 km west, gets 41 nights below 20°F to York County's 38 nights. Lancaster County, PA, 43 km east, gets 33 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| York County, PA | - | 120 nights | 38 nights | 21°F |
| Adams County, PA | 42 km west | 122 nights | 41 nights | 21°F |
| Lancaster County, PA | 43 km east | 111 nights | 33 nights | 22°F |
| Carroll County, MD | 47 km southwest | 112 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Cumberland County, PA | 53 km northwest | 119 nights | 36 nights | 21°F |
| Baltimore County, MD | 54 km south | 85 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
| Lebanon County, PA | 55 km northeast | 120 nights | 39 nights | 22°F |
York County within PA
York County ranks 57 of 67 PA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Susquehanna County, PA at 80 nights, with a 15°F average winter low. The fewest is Delaware County, PA: 15 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 613 ft, York County sits 528 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,141 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 York Pump Station (3 mi SSW), PA, 2 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.