Will Pipes Freeze in Etowah County, AL? 7 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Etowah County
In a normal year Etowah County, AL gets 7 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 21% 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 | 56 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 7 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 7 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 11/13, last around 03/19. For 20°F: 01/01 to 01/31.
How cold Etowah County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 34°F; the coldest month, January, averages 32°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January: under 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 36°F | 43°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 71°F | 70°F | 64°F | 52°F | 41°F | 35°F |
Etowah County next to its neighbours
Cherokee County, AL, 35 km east, gets 12 nights below 20°F to Etowah County's 7 nights. Marshall County, AL, 39 km northwest, gets 6 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etowah County, AL | - | 56 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Cherokee County, AL | 35 km east | 75 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Calhoun County, AL | 36 km southeast | 58 nights | 7 nights | 33°F |
| Marshall County, AL | 39 km northwest | 48 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
| St. Clair County, AL | 45 km southwest | 65 nights | 10 nights | 33°F |
| Blount County, AL | 50 km west | 70 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| DeKalb County, AL | 51 km northeast | 66 nights | 12 nights | 31°F |
Etowah County within AL
Etowah County ranks 30 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 779 ft, Etowah County sits 344 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 Gadsden, AL, 5 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.