Will Pipes Freeze in Sumner County, TN? 23 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Sumner County
In a normal year Sumner County, TN gets 23 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 39% 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 | 86 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 23 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 23 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 11/01, last around 04/05. For 20°F: 12/04 to 03/02.
How cold Sumner 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 | 46°F | 56°F | 64°F | 68°F | 66°F | 59°F | 47°F | 36°F | 30°F |
Sumner County next to its neighbours
Robertson County, TN, 37 km west, gets 26 nights below 20°F to Sumner County's 23 nights. Trousdale County, TN, 28 km east, gets 20 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumner County, TN | - | 86 nights | 23 nights | 27°F |
| Trousdale County, TN | 28 km east | 82 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
| Simpson County, KY | 32 km north | 83 nights | 21 nights | 27°F |
| Robertson County, TN | 37 km west | 90 nights | 26 nights | 27°F |
| Wilson County, TN | 39 km southeast | 93 nights | 25 nights | 27°F |
| Allen County, KY | 39 km northeast | 79 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Macon County, TN | 42 km east | 75 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
Sumner County within TN
Sumner County ranks 36 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 803 ft, Sumner County sits 64 ft below 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 Portland Sewage Plt, TN, 14 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.