Will Pipes Freeze in York County, SC? 9 nights a Year
Freeze nights in York County
In a normal year York County, SC gets 9 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 25% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs November to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 68 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 9 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 9 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 11/03, last around 04/01. For 20°F: 12/20 to 02/26.
How cold York 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: under 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 33°F | 38°F | 48°F | 56°F | 65°F | 69°F | 68°F | 62°F | 49°F | 38°F | 33°F |
York County next to its neighbours
Chester County, SC, 31 km south, gets 15 nights below 20°F to York County's 9 nights. Gaston County, NC, 36 km north, gets 7 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| York County, SC | - | 68 nights | 9 nights | 30°F |
| Chester County, SC | 31 km south | 82 nights | 15 nights | 30°F |
| Gaston County, NC | 36 km north | 61 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Cherokee County, SC | 40 km west | 92 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
| Mecklenburg County, NC | 44 km northeast | 60 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Union County, SC | 50 km southwest | 70 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Cleveland County, NC | 53 km northwest | 88 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
York County within SC
York County ranks 8 of 46 SC counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Cherokee County, SC at 18 nights, with a 28°F average winter low. The fewest is Charleston County, SC: under 1 night, winter lows near 45°F. At 627 ft, York County sits 367 ft above the state's median county elevation of 260 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is York (5 mi SSE), SC, 6 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.