Will Pipes Freeze in Marion County, TN? 23 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Marion County
In a normal year Marion County, TN gets 23 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 39% 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 | 85 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 23 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 23 nights of risk to 5 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 10/28, last around 04/10. For 20°F: 12/01 to 03/05.
How cold Marion 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: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 30°F | 37°F | 45°F | 54°F | 61°F | 65°F | 64°F | 58°F | 46°F | 37°F | 31°F |
Marion County next to its neighbours
Grundy County, TN, 31 km north, gets 30 nights below 20°F to Marion County's 23 nights. Dade County, GA, 32 km south, gets 14 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County, TN | - | 85 nights | 23 nights | 27°F |
| Grundy County, TN | 31 km north | 102 nights | 30 nights | 26°F |
| Dade County, GA | 32 km south | 79 nights | 14 nights | 31°F |
| Sequatchie County, TN | 33 km northeast | 72 nights | 16 nights | 30°F |
| Hamilton County, TN | 37 km east | 62 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
| Franklin County, TN | 45 km west | 74 nights | 16 nights | 30°F |
| Catoosa County, GA | 50 km southeast | 76 nights | 14 nights | 31°F |
Marion County within TN
Marion County ranks 31 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 1,708 ft, Marion County sits 841 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Monteagle, TN, 24 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.