Will Pipes Freeze in Pickens County, GA? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Pickens County
In a normal year Pickens County, GA gets 10 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 26% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 61 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 10 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 10 nights of risk to 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 11/05, last around 03/31. For 20°F: 12/22 to 02/13.
How cold Pickens County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 33°F; the coldest month, January, averages 31°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: 1 night a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 34°F | 40°F | 47°F | 56°F | 63°F | 67°F | 66°F | 61°F | 50°F | 40°F | 35°F |
Pickens County next to its neighbours
Gilmer County, GA, 26 km north, gets 13 nights below 20°F to Pickens County's 10 nights. Dawson County, GA, 29 km east, gets 9 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickens County, GA | - | 61 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Cherokee County, GA | 24 km south | 69 nights | 9 nights | 29°F |
| Gilmer County, GA | 26 km north | 69 nights | 13 nights | 30°F |
| Dawson County, GA | 29 km east | 61 nights | 9 nights | 31°F |
| Gordon County, GA | 36 km west | 69 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Bartow County, GA | 40 km southwest | 69 nights | 10 nights | 28°F |
| Forsyth County, GA | 42 km southeast | 67 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
Pickens County within GA
Pickens County ranks 19 of 159 GA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Union County, GA at 28 nights, with a 27°F average winter low. The fewest is Glynn County, GA: under 1 night, winter lows near 46°F. At 1,568 ft, Pickens County sits 1,148 ft above the state's median county elevation of 420 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 Jasper (1 mi NNW), GA, 5 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.