Will Pipes Freeze in Polk County, GA? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Polk County
In a normal year Polk 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: Regular. 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 | 69 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 10 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 10 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 11/04, last around 03/30. For 20°F: 12/23 to 02/07.
How cold Polk County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 34°F; the coldest month, January, averages 32°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 35°F | 41°F | 49°F | 57°F | 66°F | 70°F | 69°F | 62°F | 50°F | 39°F | 35°F |
Polk County next to its neighbours
Cherokee County, AL, 44 km west, gets 12 nights below 20°F to Polk County's 10 nights. Haralson County, GA, 23 km south, gets 9 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County, GA | - | 69 nights | 10 nights | 32°F |
| Haralson County, GA | 23 km south | 68 nights | 9 nights | 31°F |
| Floyd County, GA | 30 km north | 66 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Paulding County, GA | 31 km east | 70 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Bartow County, GA | 42 km northeast | 69 nights | 10 nights | 28°F |
| Cherokee County, AL | 44 km west | 75 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Cleburne County, AL | 47 km southwest | 71 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
Polk County within GA
Polk County ranks 17 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 1,032 ft, Polk County sits 612 ft above the state's median county elevation of 420 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Cedartown, GA, 8 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.