Will Pipes Freeze in Giles County, TN? 21 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Giles County
In a normal year Giles County, TN gets 21 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 37% 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 | 90 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 21 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 3 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 21 nights of risk to 3 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 10/24, last around 04/14. For 20°F: 11/26 to 03/04.
How cold Giles County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, January, averages 26°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: 3 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26°F | 28°F | 35°F | 43°F | 53°F | 62°F | 66°F | 64°F | 57°F | 44°F | 33°F | 28°F |
Giles County next to its neighbours
Marshall County, TN, 38 km northeast, gets 28 nights below 20°F to Giles County's 21 nights. Lawrence County, TN, 33 km west, gets 18 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giles County, TN | - | 90 nights | 21 nights | 26°F |
| Lawrence County, TN | 33 km west | 81 nights | 18 nights | 28°F |
| Marshall County, TN | 38 km northeast | 93 nights | 28 nights | 28°F |
| Lincoln County, TN | 41 km east | 73 nights | 15 nights | 30°F |
| Limestone County, AL | 44 km south | 64 nights | 11 nights | 33°F |
| Maury County, TN | 46 km north | 93 nights | 23 nights | 27°F |
| Lewis County, TN | 55 km northwest | 77 nights | 20 nights | 28°F |
Giles County within TN
Giles County ranks 44 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 742 ft, Giles County sits 125 ft below 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Pulaski Wastewater Plant, TN, 2 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.