Will Pipes Freeze in Hale County, AL? 4 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Hale County
In a normal year Hale County, AL gets 4 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 15% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 43 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 4 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 4 nights of risk to under 1 night. 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 11/11, last around 03/17. For 20°F: 01/05 to 01/31.
How cold Hale County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 38°F; the coldest month, January, averages 36°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 39°F | 45°F | 52°F | 60°F | 68°F | 71°F | 70°F | 65°F | 53°F | 43°F | 39°F |
Hale County next to its neighbours
Perry County, AL, 33 km east, gets 5 nights below 20°F to Hale County's 4 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hale County, AL | - | 43 nights | 4 nights | 36°F |
| Perry County, AL | 33 km east | 50 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
| Greene County, AL | 33 km west | 51 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
| Bibb County, AL | 55 km northeast | 60 nights | 8 nights | 33°F |
| Sumter County, AL | 57 km west | 61 nights | 8 nights | 34°F |
| Marengo County, AL | 58 km south | 47 nights | 4 nights | 35°F |
| Tuscaloosa County, AL | 60 km north | 45 nights | 4 nights | 36°F |
Hale County within AL
Hale County ranks 48 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 226 ft, Hale County sits 209 ft below the state's median county elevation of 435 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Greensboro (2 mi WNW), AL, 4 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.