No freeze warning for Harrisburg right now
Freeze Warning in Harrisburg, PA? Protect Your Pipes Tonight
When a freeze reaches Harrisburg, the pipes most at risk run through exterior walls, crawl spaces, attics and garages. Let those faucets drip, open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls, keep the heat at 55°F or higher and find your main shut-off now. If a pipe has already burst, shut the main and call (888) 840-6512: the line is answered 24/7 and reaches an IICRC-certified restoration company covering your ZIP, which gives you an arrival window for your address on the call. Most water damage jobs in Harrisburg run $1,300–$7,000.
Press 1 for water damage or 2 for mold, then your 5-digit ZIP. The line goes quiet for about half a minute while it connects — that is normal, stay on. If it does not connect, call once more: companies taking calls change minute to minute.
Live status checked Nov 5, 12:23 AM ET · Source: National Weather Service, forecast zone PAZ057
Harrisburg freeze status
No freeze, hard freeze or extreme cold alert covers Harrisburg at the moment. The first hard freezes usually reach the northern states in late October and the South between December and February. This page updates on its own when the Weather Service issues one, and the official Harrisburg forecast shows the overnight lows.
How often Harrisburg gets cold enough to freeze pipes
In NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the nearest weather station, Harrisburg averages 101.5 nights a year at or below 32°F and 27.8 at or below 20°F, the temperature at which pipes in unheated spaces start to freeze. The median first 20°F night is Dec 12, so finish winterizing before then. Compare Harrisburg with 500 other U.S. cities.
Harrisburg's weather and your pipes
Harrisburg is built directly on the Susquehanna River floodplain — the river here is 1 mile wide and historically unpredictable. The 1972 Agnes flood (the most destructive in Pennsylvania history) put the entire lower-lying portions of Harrisburg under water, and the 2011 Irene/Lee flooding came within 2 feet of the 1972 record crest. The city has invested heavily in flood barriers since 1972, but the barriers protect only the commercial core — Allison Hill, Shipoke, and Riverside neighborhoods remain exposed. The Capitol building area on higher ground avoids most flood risk, but the older housing stock throughout the city (62% built before 1960) has aging plumbing, clay laterals, and basement party walls with documented seepage. The Paxton Creek tributary through Allison Hill adds secondary flood risk from localized convective storms, flooding independently from the main Susquehanna events. Winter freeze risk is moderate — January averages 8 days below 20°F.
Before, during and after a freeze in Harrisburg
1. Before it gets cold
Disconnect garden hoses, shut and drain outdoor spigots if you have an inside valve, and walk to your main shut-off so you can find it in the dark.
2. The night of the freeze
Let faucets on exterior walls drip, open the cabinet doors under those sinks, keep the thermostat at 55°F or higher even if you are away, and keep the garage door closed.
3. If a pipe freezes
Leave the faucet open and warm the pipe from the faucet end with a hair dryer or heating pad, never an open flame. If water does not return, look for a split before it thaws.
4. If a pipe bursts
Close the main shut-off, switch off power to wet rooms at the breaker, photograph everything, then get the water out and the structure dried before mold starts in 24 to 48 hours.
More for Harrisburg
Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg freeze questions
Is there a freeze warning in Harrisburg tonight?
Not as of Nov 5, 12:23 AM ET. This page reads the National Weather Service feed for Harrisburg's forecast zone every 30 minutes and changes the moment a freeze, hard freeze or extreme cold alert is issued.
At what temperature do pipes freeze in Harrisburg?
Uninsulated pipes in unheated spaces are at risk once the air around them stays at or below about 20°F for several hours. In Harrisburg, as anywhere, the pipes that freeze first run through exterior walls, crawl spaces, attics and garages. A pipe usually splits while frozen and floods when it thaws.
What should I do if a pipe bursts in Harrisburg?
Shut off the main water valve, open the lowest faucet to drain the lines, turn off power to any wet room at the breaker panel, and photograph the damage. Then get the water out and the walls and floor dried with moisture meters: drywall, insulation and framing left wet for 24 to 48 hours are where mold starts.
Who do I call right now for water damage?
Call (888) 840-6512. The line is answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and connects you with an IICRC-certified water damage restoration company that serves your area. A recorded menu picks up first: choose water damage or mold, key in your 5-digit ZIP code, and hold through the short silence while the call is passed to the company.
Describe what you can see — where the water is coming from, how long it has been there, and whether it smells — the more specific you are, the faster the right company is on the line. If the source is a pipe or an appliance, shut the main water valve first. Have four things ready and the call goes quickly: the address, when the water started, what is wet now, and whether you have filed an insurance claim.
Still not sure which of these is your situation? (888) 840-6512 · toll-free · answered 24/7