Will Pipes Freeze in Putnam County, TN? 24 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Putnam County
In a normal year Putnam County, TN gets 24 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 40% 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 | 96 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 24 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 24 nights of risk to 5 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 10/25, last around 04/14. For 20°F: 12/01 to 03/02.
How cold Putnam 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: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 29°F | 36°F | 43°F | 53°F | 62°F | 66°F | 64°F | 58°F | 45°F | 35°F | 30°F |
Putnam County next to its neighbours
Jackson County, TN, 29 km northwest, gets 29 nights below 20°F to Putnam County's 24 nights. White County, TN, 24 km south, gets 19 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Putnam County, TN | - | 96 nights | 24 nights | 27°F |
| White County, TN | 24 km south | 83 nights | 19 nights | 28°F |
| Jackson County, TN | 29 km northwest | 102 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Overton County, TN | 30 km northeast | 90 nights | 23 nights | 27°F |
| DeKalb County, TN | 35 km southwest | 97 nights | 25 nights | 26°F |
| Smith County, TN | 42 km west | 86 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
| Clay County, TN | 45 km north | 96 nights | 26 nights | 26°F |
Putnam County within TN
Putnam County ranks 27 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 1,172 ft, Putnam County sits 305 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.
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 Cookeville, TN, 4 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.