Will Pipes Freeze in Graham County, NC? 24 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Graham County
In a normal year Graham County, NC gets 24 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 40% 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 | 100 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 24 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 24 nights of risk to 5 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 10/26, last around 04/13. For 20°F: 12/01 to 03/06.
How cold Graham 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, February, December: 5 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 | 42°F | 51°F | 59°F | 63°F | 61°F | 56°F | 44°F | 34°F | 29°F |
Graham County next to its neighbours
Swain County, NC, 41 km northeast, gets 49 nights below 20°F to Graham County's 24 nights. Cherokee County, NC, 31 km southwest, gets 23 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graham County, NC | - | 100 nights | 24 nights | 26°F |
| Cherokee County, NC | 31 km southwest | 103 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
| Clay County, NC | 34 km south | 103 nights | 21 nights | 25°F |
| Blount County, TN | 39 km north | 75 nights | 13 nights | 29°F |
| Monroe County, TN | 40 km west | 86 nights | 19 nights | 28°F |
| Swain County, NC | 41 km northeast | 121 nights | 49 nights | 22°F |
| Macon County, NC | 43 km southeast | 107 nights | 28 nights | 26°F |
Graham County within NC
Graham County ranks 16 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 1,995 ft, Graham County sits 1,522 ft above 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 Robbinsville Ag (5 mi NE), NC, 12 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.