Will Pipes Freeze in Coffee County, AL? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Coffee County
In a normal year Coffee County, AL gets 2 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 9% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs January to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 26 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 2 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 2 nights of risk to none. 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 11/21, last around 03/09. For 20°F: 01/07 to 01/23.
How cold Coffee County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 40°F; the coldest month, January, averages 38°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38°F | 42°F | 47°F | 53°F | 62°F | 69°F | 71°F | 71°F | 66°F | 56°F | 46°F | 40°F |
Coffee County next to its neighbours
Geneva County, AL, 38 km southeast, gets 3 nights below 20°F to Coffee County's 2 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coffee County, AL | - | 26 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| Dale County, AL | 36 km east | 25 nights | 2 nights | 39°F |
| Geneva County, AL | 38 km southeast | 43 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Pike County, AL | 44 km north | 38 nights | 3 nights | 37°F |
| Covington County, AL | 47 km west | 38 nights | 3 nights | 38°F |
| Crenshaw County, AL | 48 km northwest | 45 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
| Holmes County, FL | 62 km south | 35 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
Coffee County within AL
Coffee County ranks 62 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 395 ft, Coffee County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 435 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
A few nights a year catches houses that were never built for it: pipes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Enterprise (4 mi W), AL, 14 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.