Will Pipes Freeze in Clay County, AL? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Clay County
In a normal year Clay County, AL gets 10 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 25% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 65 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 10 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 10 nights of risk to under 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 11/01, last around 04/04. For 20°F: 12/13 to 02/19.
How cold Clay 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 34°F | 40°F | 47°F | 55°F | 63°F | 67°F | 66°F | 60°F | 49°F | 38°F | 33°F |
Clay County next to its neighbours
Talladega County, AL, 31 km west, gets 11 nights below 20°F to Clay County's 10 nights. Coosa County, AL, 52 km southwest, gets 7 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, AL | - | 65 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Talladega County, AL | 31 km west | 70 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Randolph County, AL | 37 km east | 70 nights | 12 nights | 31°F |
| Tallapoosa County, AL | 46 km south | 71 nights | 13 nights | 31°F |
| Coosa County, AL | 52 km southwest | 52 nights | 7 nights | 34°F |
| Cleburne County, AL | 55 km northeast | 71 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Calhoun County, AL | 56 km north | 58 nights | 7 nights | 33°F |
Clay County within AL
Clay County ranks 21 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 1,071 ft, Clay County sits 635 ft above 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.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Ashland (3 mi ENE), AL, 8 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.