Will Pipes Freeze in Wilkes County, GA? 5 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Wilkes County
In a normal year Wilkes County, GA gets 5 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 18% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 52 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 5 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 5 nights of risk to under 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 11/13, last around 03/22. For 20°F: 01/04 to 02/01.
How cold Wilkes County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 35°F; the coldest month, January, averages 33°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33°F | 36°F | 42°F | 49°F | 58°F | 66°F | 70°F | 69°F | 63°F | 52°F | 41°F | 36°F |
Wilkes County next to its neighbours
Taliaferro County, GA, 27 km southwest, gets 6 nights below 20°F to Wilkes County's 5 nights. McDuffie County, GA, 41 km southeast, gets 4 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes County, GA | - | 52 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Taliaferro County, GA | 27 km southwest | 56 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
| Lincoln County, GA | 28 km east | 60 nights | 6 nights | 34°F |
| Oglethorpe County, GA | 32 km west | 58 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Elbert County, GA | 39 km north | 83 nights | 13 nights | 30°F |
| McDuffie County, GA | 41 km southeast | 33 nights | 4 nights | 34°F |
| Warren County, GA | 42 km south | 56 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
Wilkes County within GA
Wilkes County ranks 62 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 512 ft, Wilkes County sits 92 ft above the state's median county elevation of 420 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Washington (2 mi ESE), GA, 7 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.