Will Pipes Freeze in Blount County, AL? 11 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Blount County
In a normal year Blount County, AL gets 11 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 27% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. 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 | 70 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 11 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 11 nights of risk to 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 10/29, last around 04/06. For 20°F: 12/03 to 02/22.
How cold Blount County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 33°F; the coldest month, January, averages 31°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: 1 night a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 34°F | 41°F | 47°F | 56°F | 65°F | 68°F | 67°F | 61°F | 49°F | 38°F | 33°F |
Blount County next to its neighbours
Cullman County, AL, 33 km northwest, gets 13 nights below 20°F to Blount County's 11 nights. St. Clair County, AL, 37 km southeast, gets 10 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blount County, AL | - | 70 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Cullman County, AL | 33 km northwest | 72 nights | 13 nights | 31°F |
| St. Clair County, AL | 37 km southeast | 65 nights | 10 nights | 33°F |
| Marshall County, AL | 43 km northeast | 48 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
| Etowah County, AL | 50 km east | 56 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Jefferson County, AL | 56 km southwest | 54 nights | 7 nights | 34°F |
| Morgan County, AL | 59 km northwest | 56 nights | 8 nights | 32°F |
Blount County within AL
Blount County ranks 12 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 574 ft, Blount County sits 139 ft above the state's median county elevation of 435 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Hanceville, AL, 23 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.