Will Pipes Freeze in Macon County, TN? 19 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Macon County
In a normal year Macon County, TN gets 19 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 36% 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 | 75 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 19 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 4 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 19 nights of risk to 4 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 11/01, last around 04/03. For 20°F: 12/05 to 03/02.
How cold Macon County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, January, averages 27°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: 4 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 31°F | 39°F | 48°F | 56°F | 65°F | 69°F | 67°F | 60°F | 48°F | 38°F | 31°F |
Macon County next to its neighbours
Trousdale County, TN, 21 km southwest, gets 20 nights below 20°F to Macon County's 19 nights. Smith County, TN, 32 km south, gets 18 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macon County, TN | - | 75 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
| Trousdale County, TN | 21 km southwest | 82 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
| Allen County, KY | 29 km northwest | 79 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Smith County, TN | 32 km south | 86 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
| Monroe County, KY | 32 km northeast | 91 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Jackson County, TN | 36 km southeast | 102 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Clay County, TN | 41 km east | 96 nights | 26 nights | 26°F |
Macon County within TN
Macon County ranks 53 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 957 ft, Macon County sits 90 ft above 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.
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 Lafayette, TN, 3 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.