Will Pipes Freeze in Madison County, AL? 11 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Madison County
In a normal year Madison 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 February, 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 | none |
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 11/08, last around 03/24. For 20°F: 12/28 to 02/09.
How cold Madison County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 33°F; the coldest month, January, averages 31°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 none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 34°F | 41°F | 49°F | 58°F | 66°F | 70°F | 68°F | 62°F | 50°F | 39°F | 34°F |
Madison County next to its neighbours
Lincoln County, TN, 42 km north, gets 15 nights below 20°F to Madison County's 11 nights. Limestone County, AL, 40 km west, gets 11 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County, AL | - | 66 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Limestone County, AL | 40 km west | 64 nights | 11 nights | 33°F |
| Lincoln County, TN | 42 km north | 73 nights | 15 nights | 30°F |
| Morgan County, AL | 44 km southwest | 56 nights | 8 nights | 32°F |
| Jackson County, AL | 52 km east | 76 nights | 14 nights | 30°F |
| Marshall County, AL | 55 km southeast | 48 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
| Franklin County, TN | 60 km northeast | 74 nights | 16 nights | 30°F |
Madison County within AL
Madison County ranks 13 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 920 ft, Madison County sits 485 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.
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 Huntsville International Airport, AL, 25 km away (fair match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.