Will Pipes Freeze in Obion County, TN? 21 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Obion County
In a normal year Obion County, TN gets 21 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 37% 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 | 86 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 21 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 4 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 21 nights of risk to 4 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 10/29, last around 04/03. For 20°F: 12/03 to 02/27.
How cold Obion 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: 4 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 | 38°F | 47°F | 57°F | 66°F | 69°F | 66°F | 58°F | 46°F | 37°F | 30°F |
Obion County next to its neighbours
Hickman County, KY, 38 km northeast, gets 23 nights below 20°F to Obion County's 21 nights. Lake County, TN, 30 km west, gets 17 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obion County, TN | - | 86 nights | 21 nights | 27°F |
| Fulton County, KY | 21 km north | 86 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
| Lake County, TN | 30 km west | 77 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Hickman County, KY | 38 km northeast | 86 nights | 23 nights | 27°F |
| Weakley County, TN | 39 km east | 82 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
| Dyer County, TN | 41 km southwest | 72 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Gibson County, TN | 45 km southeast | 81 nights | 19 nights | 28°F |
Obion County within TN
Obion County ranks 47 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 434 ft, Obion County sits 433 ft below 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 Union City, TN, 11 km away (close 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.