Will Pipes Freeze in Barry County, MO? 36 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Barry County
In a normal year Barry County, MO gets 36 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 52% 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 | 109 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 36 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 36 nights of risk to 9 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 10/26, last around 04/14. For 20°F: 11/23 to 03/10.
How cold Barry County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°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: 9 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 26°F | 35°F | 44°F | 54°F | 62°F | 66°F | 65°F | 56°F | 46°F | 35°F | 27°F |
Barry County next to its neighbours
Lawrence County, MO, 45 km north, gets 38 nights below 20°F to Barry County's 36 nights. Stone County, MO, 34 km east, gets 35 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barry County, MO | - | 109 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Stone County, MO | 34 km east | 111 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Lawrence County, MO | 45 km north | 111 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| McDonald County, MO | 46 km west | 100 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
| Carroll County, AR | 48 km southeast | 78 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
| Newton County, MO | 50 km northwest | 100 nights | 33 nights | 24°F |
| Benton County, AR | 55 km southwest | 98 nights | 29 nights | 25°F |
Barry County within MO
Barry County ranks 72 of 115 MO counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Caldwell County, MO at 65 nights, with a 19°F average winter low. The fewest is Pemiscot County, MO: 14 nights, winter lows near 31°F. At 1,413 ft, Barry County sits 571 ft above the state's median county elevation of 842 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 Cassville, MO, 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.