Will Pipes Freeze in Sevier County, TN? 21 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Sevier County
In a normal year Sevier County, TN gets 21 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 38% 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 | 97 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 21 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 4 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 21 nights of risk to 4 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 04/17. For 20°F: 12/01 to 03/03.
How cold Sevier County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°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: 4 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 | 35°F | 43°F | 52°F | 60°F | 64°F | 63°F | 57°F | 45°F | 34°F | 29°F |
Sevier County next to its neighbours
Swain County, NC, 25 km south, gets 49 nights below 20°F to Sevier County's 21 nights. Jefferson County, TN, 30 km north, gets 21 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sevier County, TN | - | 97 nights | 21 nights | 27°F |
| Swain County, NC | 25 km south | 121 nights | 49 nights | 22°F |
| Jefferson County, TN | 30 km north | 82 nights | 21 nights | 27°F |
| Blount County, TN | 38 km west | 75 nights | 13 nights | 29°F |
| Cocke County, TN | 39 km east | 81 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Knox County, TN | 44 km northwest | 78 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Hamblen County, TN | 53 km northeast | 82 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
Sevier County within TN
Sevier County ranks 43 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 1,141 ft, Sevier County sits 274 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 Gatlinburg (2 mi SW), TN, 11 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.