Will Pipes Freeze in Hamilton County, TN? 9 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Hamilton County
In a normal year Hamilton County, TN gets 9 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 25% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 62 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 9 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 9 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 11/09, last around 03/24. For 20°F: 12/31 to 02/04.
How cold Hamilton County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 34°F; the coldest month, January, averages 32°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: under 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 35°F | 41°F | 49°F | 58°F | 66°F | 70°F | 69°F | 63°F | 51°F | 40°F | 35°F |
Hamilton County next to its neighbours
Catoosa County, GA, 30 km south, gets 14 nights below 20°F to Hamilton County's 9 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County, TN | - | 62 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
| Catoosa County, GA | 30 km south | 76 nights | 14 nights | 31°F |
| Sequatchie County, TN | 30 km northwest | 72 nights | 16 nights | 30°F |
| Bradley County, TN | 31 km east | 80 nights | 17 nights | 29°F |
| Marion County, TN | 37 km west | 85 nights | 23 nights | 27°F |
| Dade County, GA | 44 km southwest | 79 nights | 14 nights | 31°F |
| Whitfield County, GA | 45 km southeast | 67 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
Hamilton County within TN
Hamilton County ranks 95 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. At 674 ft, Hamilton County sits 193 ft below the state's median county elevation of 867 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.
Which pipe gets which threshold: the 32, 20, 10 and 0 rule.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Chattanooga Lovell Airport, TN, 15 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.