Will Pipes Freeze in Franklin County, TN? 16 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Franklin County
In a normal year Franklin County, TN gets 16 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 33% 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 | 74 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 16 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 16 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 04/06. For 20°F: 12/03 to 02/27.
How cold Franklin County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 33°F | 39°F | 47°F | 56°F | 64°F | 68°F | 66°F | 60°F | 48°F | 38°F | 33°F |
Franklin County next to its neighbours
Moore County, TN, 28 km northwest, gets 25 nights below 20°F to Franklin County's 16 nights. Jackson County, AL, 45 km south, gets 14 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County, TN | - | 74 nights | 16 nights | 30°F |
| Moore County, TN | 28 km northwest | 93 nights | 25 nights | 27°F |
| Coffee County, TN | 37 km north | 93 nights | 25 nights | 27°F |
| Grundy County, TN | 44 km northeast | 102 nights | 30 nights | 26°F |
| Marion County, TN | 45 km east | 85 nights | 23 nights | 27°F |
| Jackson County, AL | 45 km south | 76 nights | 14 nights | 30°F |
| Lincoln County, TN | 45 km west | 73 nights | 15 nights | 30°F |
Franklin County within TN
Franklin County ranks 76 of 95 TN counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Johnson County, TN at 41 nights, with a 25°F average winter low. The fewest is Hamilton County, TN: 9 nights, winter lows near 34°F. At 1,026 ft, Franklin County sits 159 ft above the state's median county elevation of 867 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 Winchester (5 mi SE), TN, 6 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.