Will Pipes Freeze in Thomas County, GA? 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Thomas County
In a normal year Thomas County, GA gets 1 night at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 7% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs January to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 28 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 1 night |
| 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 1 night 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 11/21, last around 03/11. For 20°F: 01/09 to 01/28.
How cold Thomas County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 40°F; the coldest month, January, averages 38°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38°F | 42°F | 47°F | 53°F | 61°F | 68°F | 71°F | 71°F | 66°F | 56°F | 46°F | 41°F |
Thomas County next to its neighbours
Mitchell County, GA, 48 km northwest, gets 2 nights below 20°F to Thomas County's 1 night. Jefferson County, FL, 52 km south, gets under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas County, GA | - | 28 nights | 1 night | 38°F |
| Grady County, GA | 31 km west | 31 nights | 1 night | 38°F |
| Brooks County, GA | 33 km east | 30 nights | 1 night | 37°F |
| Colquitt County, GA | 39 km north | 21 nights | under 1 night | 39°F |
| Mitchell County, GA | 48 km northwest | 33 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| Jefferson County, FL | 52 km south | 20 nights | under 1 night | 41°F |
| Leon County, FL | 57 km southwest | 29 nights | 2 nights | 40°F |
Thomas County within GA
Thomas County ranks 144 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 275 ft, Thomas County sits 145 ft below the state's median county elevation of 420 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
Why rare cold catches people out - freezes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Cairo (1 mi SW), GA, 28 km away (fair match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. What a "fair" or "distant" station match means is in the method guide.