Will Pipes Freeze in Barbour County, AL? 5 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Barbour County
In a normal year Barbour County, AL gets 5 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 16% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 44 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 5 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 5 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 11/19, last around 03/11. For 20°F: 01/08 to 01/28.
How cold Barbour County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 39°F; the coldest month, January, averages 37°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37°F | 40°F | 46°F | 52°F | 61°F | 69°F | 71°F | 71°F | 66°F | 55°F | 45°F | 40°F |
Barbour County next to its neighbours
Bullock County, AL, 39 km northwest, gets 6 nights below 20°F to Barbour County's 5 nights. Quitman County, GA, 38 km east, gets 3 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbour County, AL | - | 44 nights | 5 nights | 37°F |
| Quitman County, GA | 38 km east | 36 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Bullock County, AL | 39 km northwest | 59 nights | 6 nights | 35°F |
| Henry County, AL | 42 km south | 30 nights | 2 nights | 39°F |
| Clay County, GA | 48 km southeast | 32 nights | 1 night | 38°F |
| Russell County, AL | 51 km northeast | 51 nights | 6 nights | 34°F |
| Pike County, AL | 51 km west | 38 nights | 3 nights | 37°F |
Barbour County within AL
Barbour County ranks 44 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 460 ft, Barbour County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 435 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.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Clayton, AL, 4 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. How a county figure is built from stations: how the numbers are made.