Will Pipes Freeze in Tallapoosa County, AL? 13 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Tallapoosa County
In a normal year Tallapoosa County, AL gets 13 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 29% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 71 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 13 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 13 nights of risk to 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 10/27, last around 04/11. For 20°F: 12/04 to 03/01.
How cold Tallapoosa County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 33°F; the coldest month, January, averages 31°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: 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 34°F | 40°F | 47°F | 56°F | 64°F | 68°F | 66°F | 61°F | 49°F | 39°F | 34°F |
Tallapoosa County next to its neighbours
Chambers County, AL, 38 km east, gets 11 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tallapoosa County, AL | - | 71 nights | 13 nights | 31°F |
| Chambers County, AL | 38 km east | 71 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Coosa County, AL | 42 km west | 52 nights | 7 nights | 34°F |
| Elmore County, AL | 44 km southwest | 48 nights | 5 nights | 36°F |
| Clay County, AL | 46 km north | 65 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Lee County, AL | 51 km southeast | 53 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
| Macon County, AL | 54 km south | 53 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
Tallapoosa County within AL
Tallapoosa County ranks 6 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 636 ft, Tallapoosa County sits 201 ft above the state's median county elevation of 435 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Camp Hill (2 mi NW), AL, 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.