Will Pipes Freeze in Winston County, AL? 13 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Winston County
In a normal year Winston 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 30% 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 | 69 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 13 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 13 nights of risk to 2 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 11/01, last around 04/04. For 20°F: 12/09 to 02/24.
How cold Winston 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: 2 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 34°F | 41°F | 48°F | 57°F | 65°F | 69°F | 67°F | 61°F | 50°F | 40°F | 34°F |
Winston County next to its neighbours
Marion County, AL, 48 km west, gets 23 nights below 20°F to Winston County's 13 nights. Walker County, AL, 41 km south, gets 12 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winston County, AL | - | 69 nights | 13 nights | 31°F |
| Walker County, AL | 41 km south | 73 nights | 12 nights | 31°F |
| Lawrence County, AL | 42 km north | 66 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Cullman County, AL | 46 km east | 72 nights | 13 nights | 31°F |
| Marion County, AL | 48 km west | 90 nights | 23 nights | 29°F |
| Franklin County, AL | 54 km northwest | 71 nights | 14 nights | 31°F |
| Morgan County, AL | 58 km northeast | 56 nights | 8 nights | 32°F |
Winston County within AL
Winston County ranks 4 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 740 ft, Winston County sits 305 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 Addison, AL, 20 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. How a county figure is built from stations: how the numbers are made.