Will Pipes Freeze in Franklin County, NC? 17 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Franklin County
In a normal year Franklin County, NC gets 17 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 34% 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 | 97 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 17 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 17 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 10/29, last around 04/11. For 20°F: 12/07 to 02/28.
How cold Franklin County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, January, averages 28°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 30°F | 36°F | 44°F | 54°F | 63°F | 68°F | 66°F | 60°F | 46°F | 36°F | 31°F |
Franklin County next to its neighbours
Nash County, NC, 30 km southeast, gets 8 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County, NC | - | 97 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Nash County, NC | 30 km southeast | 68 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Vance County, NC | 33 km north | 84 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Warren County, NC | 38 km northeast | 80 nights | 13 nights | 29°F |
| Granville County, NC | 41 km northwest | 70 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
| Wake County, NC | 47 km southwest | 62 nights | 7 nights | 31°F |
| Durham County, NC | 54 km west | 81 nights | 11 nights | 29°F |
Franklin County within NC
Franklin County ranks 26 of 100 NC counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Swain County, NC at 49 nights, with a 24°F average winter low. The fewest is Carteret County, NC: 3 nights, winter lows near 39°F. At 200 ft, Franklin County sits 273 ft below the state's median county elevation of 473 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Louisburg, NC, 3 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.