Will Pipes Freeze in Polk County, TN? 18 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Polk County
In a normal year Polk County, TN gets 18 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 34% 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 | 83 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 18 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 18 nights of risk to 2 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 10/30, last around 04/06. For 20°F: 12/05 to 02/25.
How cold Polk County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°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: 2 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 32°F | 38°F | 46°F | 55°F | 63°F | 67°F | 66°F | 59°F | 47°F | 36°F | 32°F |
Polk County next to its neighbours
Fannin County, GA, 34 km southeast, gets 22 nights below 20°F to Polk County's 18 nights. Bradley County, TN, 29 km west, gets 17 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County, TN | - | 83 nights | 18 nights | 29°F |
| Bradley County, TN | 29 km west | 80 nights | 17 nights | 29°F |
| Fannin County, GA | 34 km southeast | 93 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
| McMinn County, TN | 36 km north | 85 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Murray County, GA | 39 km southwest | 72 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Cherokee County, NC | 44 km east | 103 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
| Monroe County, TN | 46 km northeast | 86 nights | 19 nights | 28°F |
Polk County within TN
Polk County ranks 64 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 1,349 ft, Polk County sits 482 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.
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 Cleveland Fltr Plt, TN, 26 km away (fair 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.