Will Pipes Freeze in Cobb County, GA? 8 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Cobb County
In a normal year Cobb County, GA gets 8 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 23% 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 | 64 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 8 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 8 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 11/07, last around 03/27. For 20°F: 12/27 to 02/09.
How cold Cobb County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 34°F; the coldest month, January, averages 32°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 35°F | 41°F | 48°F | 57°F | 65°F | 69°F | 68°F | 62°F | 51°F | 40°F | 35°F |
Cobb County next to its neighbours
Paulding County, GA, 27 km west, gets 10 nights below 20°F to Cobb County's 8 nights. Fulton County, GA, 19 km southeast, gets 5 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobb County, GA | - | 64 nights | 8 nights | 32°F |
| Fulton County, GA | 19 km southeast | 53 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Paulding County, GA | 27 km west | 70 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Douglas County, GA | 32 km southwest | 52 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Cherokee County, GA | 35 km north | 69 nights | 9 nights | 29°F |
| DeKalb County, GA | 37 km southeast | 47 nights | 4 nights | 34°F |
| Bartow County, GA | 41 km northwest | 69 nights | 10 nights | 28°F |
Cobb County within GA
Cobb County ranks 32 of 159 GA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Union County, GA at 28 nights, with a 27°F average winter low. The fewest is Glynn County, GA: under 1 night, winter lows near 46°F. At 1,058 ft, Cobb County sits 637 ft above the state's median county elevation of 420 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 Mableton (1 mi N), GA, 10 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.