Will Pipes Freeze in Union County, GA? 28 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Union County
In a normal year Union County, GA gets 28 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 44% 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 | 104 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 28 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 28 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 10/19, last around 04/26. For 20°F: 11/21 to 03/14.
How cold Union County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°F; the coldest month, January, averages 25°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 28°F | 34°F | 41°F | 50°F | 59°F | 62°F | 61°F | 55°F | 43°F | 33°F | 29°F |
Union County next to its neighbours
Towns County, GA, 25 km east, gets 22 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, GA | - | 104 nights | 28 nights | 25°F |
| Towns County, GA | 25 km east | 91 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Lumpkin County, GA | 30 km south | 91 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Fannin County, GA | 30 km west | 93 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
| White County, GA | 31 km southeast | 91 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Clay County, NC | 33 km northeast | 103 nights | 21 nights | 25°F |
| Cherokee County, NC | 34 km north | 103 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
Union County within GA
Union County ranks 1 of 159 GA counties for nights below 20°F. The fewest is Glynn County, GA: under 1 night, winter lows near 46°F. At 1,886 ft, Union County sits 1,466 ft above the state's median county elevation of 420 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 Blairsville Experiment Station, GA, 5 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.