Will Pipes Freeze in Richmond County, GA? 3 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Richmond County
In a normal year Richmond County, GA gets 3 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 12% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 37 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 3 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 3 nights of risk to none. 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 12/04, last around 02/27. For 20°F: 01/14 to 01/19.
How cold Richmond County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 39°F; the coldest month, January, averages 37°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37°F | 40°F | 46°F | 53°F | 62°F | 70°F | 73°F | 72°F | 67°F | 55°F | 45°F | 39°F |
Richmond County next to its neighbours
Columbia County, GA, 27 km northwest, gets 6 nights below 20°F to Richmond County's 3 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond County, GA | - | 37 nights | 3 nights | 37°F |
| Columbia County, GA | 27 km northwest | 60 nights | 6 nights | 34°F |
| Burke County, GA | 34 km south | 52 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
| McDuffie County, GA | 40 km west | 33 nights | 4 nights | 34°F |
| Aiken County, SC | 46 km northeast | 48 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
| Jefferson County, GA | 47 km southwest | 47 nights | 4 nights | 34°F |
| Edgefield County, SC | 48 km north | 44 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
Richmond County within GA
Richmond County ranks 101 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 317 ft, Richmond County sits 103 ft below 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.
Which pipe gets which threshold: the 32, 20, 10 and 0 rule.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Augusta Daniel Field Airport, GA, 12 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.