Will Pipes Freeze in Lawrence County, AL? 11 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Lawrence County
In a normal year Lawrence County, AL gets 11 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 27% 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 | 66 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 11 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 11 nights of risk to 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 10/31, last around 04/02. For 20°F: 12/04 to 02/22.
How cold Lawrence County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°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: 1 night a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 33°F | 41°F | 49°F | 58°F | 65°F | 69°F | 67°F | 61°F | 49°F | 38°F | 33°F |
Lawrence County next to its neighbours
Winston County, AL, 42 km south, gets 13 nights below 20°F to Lawrence County's 11 nights. Morgan County, AL, 44 km east, gets 8 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence County, AL | - | 66 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Winston County, AL | 42 km south | 69 nights | 13 nights | 31°F |
| Limestone County, AL | 44 km northeast | 64 nights | 11 nights | 33°F |
| Morgan County, AL | 44 km east | 56 nights | 8 nights | 32°F |
| Colbert County, AL | 48 km northwest | 62 nights | 9 nights | 31°F |
| Franklin County, AL | 49 km west | 71 nights | 14 nights | 31°F |
| Lauderdale County, AL | 51 km northwest | 62 nights | 9 nights | 31°F |
Lawrence County within AL
Lawrence County ranks 16 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 623 ft, Lawrence County sits 188 ft above the state's median county elevation of 435 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 Moulton 2, AL, 5 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.