Will Pipes Freeze in Chester County, TN? 22 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Chester County
In a normal year Chester County, TN gets 22 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 38% 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 | 88 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 22 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 4 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 22 nights of risk to 4 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 10/25, last around 04/10. For 20°F: 12/01 to 03/03.
How cold Chester County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, January, averages 27°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: 4 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 30°F | 37°F | 45°F | 55°F | 63°F | 68°F | 66°F | 58°F | 46°F | 36°F | 30°F |
Chester County next to its neighbours
McNairy County, TN, 28 km south, gets 15 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester County, TN | - | 88 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
| McNairy County, TN | 28 km south | 75 nights | 15 nights | 30°F |
| Madison County, TN | 29 km northwest | 72 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Henderson County, TN | 33 km northeast | 77 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
| Hardeman County, TN | 41 km southwest | 75 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Hardin County, TN | 46 km southeast | 73 nights | 15 nights | 30°F |
| Decatur County, TN | 50 km northeast | 84 nights | 19 nights | 28°F |
Chester County within TN
Chester County ranks 39 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 479 ft, Chester County sits 388 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Henderson (4 mi W), TN, 11 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.