Will Pipes Freeze in Allegan County, MI? 38 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Allegan County
In a normal year Allegan County, MI gets 38 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 54% 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 | 110 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 38 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 11 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 38 nights of risk to 11 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 11/05, last around 04/17. For 20°F: 12/07 to 03/16.
How cold Allegan County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°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, March, December: 11 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 24°F | 30°F | 39°F | 49°F | 60°F | 65°F | 64°F | 57°F | 47°F | 36°F | 28°F |
Allegan County next to its neighbours
Van Buren County, MI, 16 km south, gets 42 nights below 20°F to Allegan County's 38 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegan County, MI | - | 110 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| Van Buren County, MI | 16 km south | 118 nights | 42 nights | 21°F |
| Cass County, MI | 60 km south | 134 nights | 53 nights | 18°F |
| Kalamazoo County, MI | 63 km east | 129 nights | 51 nights | 18°F |
| Ottawa County, MI | 71 km north | 134 nights | 51 nights | 19°F |
| Barry County, MI | 80 km east | 148 nights | 64 nights | 17°F |
| Berrien County, MI | 81 km southwest | 120 nights | 46 nights | 18°F |
Allegan County within MI
Allegan County ranks 83 of 83 MI counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Iron County, MI at 120 nights, with a 3°F average winter low. At 653 ft, Allegan County sits 155 ft below the state's median county elevation of 808 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 S Haven, MI, 3 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.