Overview
- National Weather Service forecasts show temperatures staying below freezing from early Sunday to around midday Monday in parts of Alabama, with lows in the teens and wind chills in the single digits.
- The U.S. Department of Energy notes pipe-freeze risk rises notably at about 20 degrees Fahrenheit, a threshold many Southern locations are expected to meet or breach.
- The American Red Cross highlights highest-risk lines such as outdoor hose bibs, pool and sprinkler supplies, and water lines in unheated spaces or against exterior walls.
- Utilities advise maintaining indoor heat near 55–60°F, opening cabinet doors, disconnecting and draining outdoor hoses, opening and covering exterior spigots, insulating exposed pipes, and using a small steady drip on one or two faucets—preferably the one farthest from the main—using both hot and cold if possible.
- If a pipe freezes, guidance calls for shutting off the main water valve, applying safe heat such as a hair dryer or warm towels, keeping a connected faucet open to relieve pressure, avoiding open flames, and checking for cracks once flow resumes.