Will Pipes Freeze in Benton County, TN? 17 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Benton County
In a normal year Benton County, TN gets 17 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 34% 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 | 80 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 17 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 17 nights of risk to 2 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 11/01, last around 04/03. For 20°F: 12/09 to 02/23.
How cold Benton County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 28°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: 2 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 32°F | 39°F | 48°F | 58°F | 66°F | 70°F | 68°F | 60°F | 48°F | 38°F | 32°F |
Benton County next to its neighbours
Humphreys County, TN, 25 km east, gets 18 nights below 20°F to Benton County's 17 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County, TN | - | 80 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Humphreys County, TN | 25 km east | 77 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
| Henry County, TN | 35 km northwest | 86 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
| Carroll County, TN | 36 km west | 85 nights | 19 nights | 28°F |
| Houston County, TN | 41 km northeast | 82 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Perry County, TN | 49 km south | 91 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
| Stewart County, TN | 49 km northeast | 79 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
Benton County within TN
Benton County ranks 68 of 95 TN counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Johnson County, TN at 41 nights, with a 25°F average winter low. The fewest is Hamilton County, TN: 9 nights, winter lows near 34°F. At 503 ft, Benton County sits 364 ft below the state's median county elevation of 867 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 Camden, TN, 2 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.