Will Pipes Freeze in Morgan County, TN? 29 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Morgan County
In a normal year Morgan County, TN gets 29 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 45% 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 | 107 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 29 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 8 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 29 nights of risk to 8 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 10/17, last around 04/21. For 20°F: 11/20 to 03/12.
How cold Morgan County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, January, averages 26°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, December: 8 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26°F | 28°F | 35°F | 43°F | 51°F | 59°F | 63°F | 62°F | 55°F | 43°F | 34°F | 29°F |
Morgan County next to its neighbours
Scott County, TN, 35 km north, gets 33 nights below 20°F to Morgan County's 29 nights. Roane County, TN, 34 km south, gets 14 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan County, TN | - | 107 nights | 29 nights | 26°F |
| Roane County, TN | 34 km south | 78 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Scott County, TN | 35 km north | 116 nights | 33 nights | 24°F |
| Fentress County, TN | 37 km northwest | 96 nights | 27 nights | 26°F |
| Cumberland County, TN | 38 km southwest | 88 nights | 24 nights | 26°F |
| Anderson County, TN | 40 km east | 82 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Campbell County, TN | 52 km northeast | 108 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
Morgan County within TN
Morgan County ranks 10 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 1,272 ft, Morgan County sits 405 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 Lancing (6 mi NW), TN, 8 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.