Will Pipes Freeze in Barton County, MO? 30 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Barton County
In a normal year Barton County, MO gets 30 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 46% 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 | 100 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 30 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 30 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 10/27, last around 04/09. For 20°F: 11/26 to 03/06.
How cold Barton 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 | 64°F | 68°F | 66°F | 57°F | 46°F | 35°F | 27°F |
Barton County next to its neighbours
Vernon County, MO, 39 km north, gets 32 nights below 20°F to Barton County's 30 nights. Jasper County, MO, 33 km south, gets 27 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barton County, MO | - | 100 nights | 30 nights | 23°F |
| Jasper County, MO | 33 km south | 93 nights | 27 nights | 24°F |
| Vernon County, MO | 39 km north | 97 nights | 32 nights | 22°F |
| Dade County, MO | 44 km east | 102 nights | 33 nights | 22°F |
| Crawford County, KS | 45 km west | 97 nights | 31 nights | 22°F |
| Cedar County, MO | 51 km northeast | 94 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
| Cherokee County, KS | 58 km southwest | 95 nights | 27 nights | 23°F |
Barton County within MO
Barton County ranks 98 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 980 ft, Barton County sits 138 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Lamar (7 mi N), MO, 12 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.