Will Pipes Freeze in Marshall County, AL? 6 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Marshall County
In a normal year Marshall County, AL gets 6 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 20% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 48 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 6 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 6 nights of risk to under 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 11/19, last around 03/17. For 20°F: 01/01 to 02/02.
How cold Marshall County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 35°F; the coldest month, January, averages 33°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33°F | 36°F | 43°F | 50°F | 60°F | 68°F | 71°F | 71°F | 65°F | 54°F | 42°F | 36°F |
Marshall County next to its neighbours
Etowah County, AL, 39 km southeast, gets 7 nights below 20°F to Marshall County's 6 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marshall County, AL | - | 48 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
| Etowah County, AL | 39 km southeast | 56 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Blount County, AL | 43 km southwest | 70 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| DeKalb County, AL | 50 km east | 66 nights | 12 nights | 31°F |
| Morgan County, AL | 51 km west | 56 nights | 8 nights | 32°F |
| Cullman County, AL | 54 km west | 72 nights | 13 nights | 31°F |
| Madison County, AL | 55 km northwest | 66 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
Marshall County within AL
Marshall County ranks 32 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 611 ft, Marshall County sits 176 ft above the state's median county elevation of 435 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Guntersville No.2, AL, 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.