Will Pipes Freeze in Rabun County, GA? 15 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Rabun County
In a normal year Rabun County, GA gets 15 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 32% 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 | 88 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 15 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 15 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 10/29, last around 04/10. For 20°F: 12/11 to 02/26.
How cold Rabun County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°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 none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 31°F | 37°F | 44°F | 53°F | 61°F | 65°F | 64°F | 59°F | 47°F | 37°F | 32°F |
Rabun County next to its neighbours
Towns County, GA, 30 km west, gets 22 nights below 20°F to Rabun County's 15 nights. Oconee County, SC, 35 km southeast, gets 12 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rabun County, GA | - | 88 nights | 15 nights | 30°F |
| Habersham County, GA | 30 km south | 90 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Towns County, GA | 30 km west | 91 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Macon County, NC | 30 km north | 107 nights | 28 nights | 26°F |
| Oconee County, SC | 35 km southeast | 78 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Clay County, NC | 37 km northwest | 103 nights | 21 nights | 25°F |
| Stephens County, GA | 38 km south | 53 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
Rabun County within GA
Rabun County ranks 5 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 2,046 ft, Rabun County sits 1,626 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 Clayton (1 mi SSW), GA, 1 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.