Will Pipes Freeze in Franklin County, AL? 14 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Franklin County
In a normal year Franklin County, AL gets 14 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 30% 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 | 71 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 14 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 14 nights of risk to 2 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 11/04, last around 03/31. For 20°F: 12/16 to 02/19.
How cold Franklin 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). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January: 2 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 34°F | 40°F | 48°F | 57°F | 65°F | 69°F | 68°F | 61°F | 49°F | 39°F | 34°F |
Franklin County next to its neighbours
Marion County, AL, 34 km south, gets 23 nights below 20°F to Franklin County's 14 nights. Colbert County, AL, 29 km north, gets 9 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County, AL | - | 71 nights | 14 nights | 31°F |
| Colbert County, AL | 29 km north | 62 nights | 9 nights | 31°F |
| Marion County, AL | 34 km south | 90 nights | 23 nights | 29°F |
| Lawrence County, AL | 49 km east | 66 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Tishomingo County, MS | 49 km northwest | 95 nights | 24 nights | 28°F |
| Itawamba County, MS | 51 km west | 66 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Winston County, AL | 54 km southeast | 69 nights | 13 nights | 31°F |
Franklin County within AL
Franklin County ranks 3 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 841 ft, Franklin County sits 406 ft above the state's median county elevation of 435 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Russellville #2, AL, 13 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.