Will Pipes Freeze in Russell County, AL? 6 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Russell County
In a normal year Russell County, AL gets 6 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 19% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 51 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 6 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 6 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 11/08, last around 03/26. For 20°F: 12/28 to 02/03.
How cold Russell County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 36°F; the coldest month, January, averages 34°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34°F | 37°F | 43°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 71°F | 70°F | 65°F | 53°F | 41°F | 36°F |
Russell County next to its neighbours
Chattahoochee County, GA, 38 km east, gets 5 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell County, AL | - | 51 nights | 6 nights | 34°F |
| Chattahoochee County, GA | 38 km east | 47 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
| Muscogee County, GA | 38 km northeast | 38 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Lee County, AL | 38 km northwest | 53 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
| Stewart County, GA | 41 km southeast | 55 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
| Macon County, AL | 49 km west | 53 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
| Quitman County, GA | 50 km south | 36 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
Russell County within AL
Russell County ranks 35 of 67 AL counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Marion County, AL at 23 nights, with a 31°F average winter low. The fewest is Mobile County, AL: under 1 night, winter lows near 43°F. At 359 ft, Russell County sits 76 ft below the state's median county elevation of 435 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 Fort Benning Lawson Field, GA, 19 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.