Will Pipes Freeze in Jackson County, TN? 29 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Jackson County
In a normal year Jackson County, TN gets 29 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 45% 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 | 102 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 29 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 6 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 29 nights of risk to 6 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 10/22, last around 04/20. For 20°F: 11/22 to 03/14.
How cold Jackson County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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: 6 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 27°F | 34°F | 42°F | 52°F | 61°F | 65°F | 64°F | 56°F | 44°F | 33°F | 27°F |
Jackson County next to its neighbours
Clay County, TN, 24 km northeast, gets 26 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County, TN | - | 102 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Clay County, TN | 24 km northeast | 96 nights | 26 nights | 26°F |
| Smith County, TN | 26 km southwest | 86 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
| Putnam County, TN | 29 km southeast | 96 nights | 24 nights | 27°F |
| Overton County, TN | 35 km east | 90 nights | 23 nights | 27°F |
| Macon County, TN | 36 km northwest | 75 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
| Monroe County, KY | 40 km north | 91 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
Jackson County within TN
Jackson County ranks 8 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 758 ft, Jackson County sits 110 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 Gainesboro, TN, 2 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.