Will Pipes Freeze in Bates County, MO? 39 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Bates County
In a normal year Bates County, MO gets 39 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 55% 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 | 111 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 39 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 13 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 3 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 39 nights of risk to 13 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 10/23, last around 04/12. For 20°F: 11/22 to 03/11.
How cold Bates County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 23°F; the coldest month, January, averages 20°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: 13 nights a year, and 3 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20°F | 24°F | 33°F | 43°F | 55°F | 65°F | 69°F | 66°F | 57°F | 45°F | 34°F | 25°F |
Bates County next to its neighbours
Cass County, MO, 43 km north, gets 41 nights below 20°F to Bates County's 39 nights. Vernon County, MO, 45 km south, gets 32 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bates County, MO | - | 111 nights | 39 nights | 20°F |
| Cass County, MO | 43 km north | 107 nights | 41 nights | 20°F |
| Linn County, KS | 44 km west | 120 nights | 47 nights | 19°F |
| Vernon County, MO | 45 km south | 97 nights | 32 nights | 22°F |
| Henry County, MO | 50 km east | 117 nights | 45 nights | 19°F |
| St. Clair County, MO | 55 km southeast | 98 nights | 31 nights | 21°F |
| Miami County, KS | 55 km northwest | 108 nights | 38 nights | 19°F |
Bates County within MO
Bates County ranks 63 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 849 ft, Bates County sits close to 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 Butler (4 mi W), MO, 6 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.