Will Pipes Freeze in Alcorn County, MS? 13 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Alcorn County
In a normal year Alcorn County, MS 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 February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 72 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 | none |
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 04/02. For 20°F: 12/09 to 02/17.
How cold Alcorn County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°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 none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 34°F | 40°F | 48°F | 58°F | 66°F | 70°F | 68°F | 61°F | 48°F | 38°F | 33°F |
Alcorn County next to its neighbours
McNairy County, TN, 32 km north, gets 15 nights below 20°F to Alcorn County's 13 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcorn County, MS | - | 72 nights | 13 nights | 30°F |
| Prentiss County, MS | 30 km south | 68 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| McNairy County, TN | 32 km north | 75 nights | 15 nights | 30°F |
| Tippah County, MS | 34 km southwest | 80 nights | 16 nights | 29°F |
| Tishomingo County, MS | 36 km southeast | 95 nights | 24 nights | 28°F |
| Hardin County, TN | 50 km northeast | 73 nights | 15 nights | 30°F |
| Hardeman County, TN | 52 km northwest | 75 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
Alcorn County within MS
Alcorn County ranks 8 of 82 MS counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Tishomingo County, MS at 24 nights, with a 30°F average winter low. The fewest is Harrison County, MS: under 1 night, winter lows near 45°F. At 416 ft, Alcorn County sits 115 ft above the state's median county elevation of 302 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Corinth (7 mi SW), MS, 3 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.