Will Pipes Freeze in Morgan County, AL? 8 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Morgan County
In a normal year Morgan County, AL gets 8 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 23% 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 | 56 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 8 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 8 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 11/07, last around 03/26. For 20°F: 12/24 to 02/10.
How cold Morgan County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 34°F; the coldest month, January, averages 32°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January: under 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 35°F | 42°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 70°F | 69°F | 62°F | 51°F | 40°F | 35°F |
Morgan County next to its neighbours
Cullman County, AL, 36 km south, gets 13 nights below 20°F to Morgan County's 8 nights. Marshall County, AL, 51 km east, gets 6 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan County, AL | - | 56 nights | 8 nights | 32°F |
| Cullman County, AL | 36 km south | 72 nights | 13 nights | 31°F |
| Limestone County, AL | 41 km north | 64 nights | 11 nights | 33°F |
| Madison County, AL | 44 km northeast | 66 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Lawrence County, AL | 44 km west | 66 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Marshall County, AL | 51 km east | 48 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
| Winston County, AL | 58 km southwest | 69 nights | 13 nights | 31°F |
Morgan County within AL
Morgan County ranks 24 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 694 ft, Morgan County sits 259 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 Decatur (4 mi SE), AL, 16 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.