Will Pipes Freeze in Washington County, TN? 23 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Washington County
In a normal year Washington 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 | 96 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 23 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 23 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 10/23, last around 04/21. For 20°F: 11/25 to 03/12.
How cold Washington County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°F; the coldest month, January, averages 25°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 28°F | 34°F | 42°F | 51°F | 59°F | 63°F | 62°F | 56°F | 44°F | 33°F | 29°F |
Washington County next to its neighbours
Unicoi County, TN, 23 km south, gets 27 nights below 20°F to Washington County's 23 nights. Sullivan County, TN, 29 km northeast, gets 22 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, TN | - | 96 nights | 23 nights | 25°F |
| Unicoi County, TN | 23 km south | 103 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Sullivan County, TN | 29 km northeast | 93 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Carter County, TN | 33 km east | 118 nights | 39 nights | 23°F |
| Greene County, TN | 34 km west | 108 nights | 34 nights | 26°F |
| Hawkins County, TN | 43 km northwest | 89 nights | 21 nights | 25°F |
| Mitchell County, NC | 43 km southeast | 111 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
Washington County within TN
Washington County ranks 33 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 1,774 ft, Washington County sits 906 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.
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 Erwin (1 mi W), TN, 18 km away (close 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.