Will Pipes Freeze in Baldwin County, AL? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Baldwin County
In a normal year Baldwin County, AL 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 8% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs January to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 28 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 2 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 2 nights of risk to none. 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 11/23, last around 03/05. For 20°F: 01/10 to 01/23.
How cold Baldwin County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 41°F; the coldest month, January, averages 39°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39°F | 42°F | 48°F | 54°F | 62°F | 69°F | 72°F | 71°F | 67°F | 56°F | 46°F | 41°F |
Baldwin County next to its neighbours
Escambia County, AL, 75 km northeast, gets 3 nights below 20°F to Baldwin County's 2 nights. Mobile County, AL, 43 km west, gets under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baldwin County, AL | - | 28 nights | 2 nights | 39°F |
| Mobile County, AL | 43 km west | 21 nights | under 1 night | 41°F |
| Escambia County, FL | 43 km east | 13 nights | under 1 night | 43°F |
| Santa Rosa County, FL | 70 km east | 21 nights | 1 night | 41°F |
| Escambia County, AL | 75 km northeast | 41 nights | 3 nights | 38°F |
| Jackson County, MS | 87 km west | 26 nights | under 1 night | 40°F |
| George County, MS | 88 km west | 28 nights | 2 nights | 39°F |
Baldwin County within AL
Baldwin County ranks 66 of 67 AL counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Marion County, AL at 23 nights, with a 31°F average winter low. The fewest is Mobile County, AL: under 1 night, winter lows near 43°F. At 154 ft, Baldwin County sits 281 ft below the state's median county elevation of 435 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.
Why rare cold catches people out - freezes 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 Robertsdale, AL, 11 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.