Will Pipes Freeze in Benton County, MS? 14 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Benton County
In a normal year Benton County, MS gets 14 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 31% 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 | 74 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 14 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 3 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 14 nights of risk to 3 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 11/06, last around 03/29. For 20°F: 12/24 to 02/11.
How cold Benton County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°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: 3 nights a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 32°F | 39°F | 48°F | 58°F | 66°F | 69°F | 67°F | 60°F | 49°F | 38°F | 32°F |
Benton County next to its neighbours
Tippah County, MS, 26 km east, gets 16 nights below 20°F to Benton County's 14 nights. Fayette County, TN, 47 km northwest, gets 12 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County, MS | - | 74 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Tippah County, MS | 26 km east | 80 nights | 16 nights | 29°F |
| Marshall County, MS | 28 km west | 82 nights | 20 nights | 29°F |
| Union County, MS | 40 km southeast | 74 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Fayette County, TN | 47 km northwest | 70 nights | 12 nights | 30°F |
| Hardeman County, TN | 49 km northeast | 75 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Lafayette County, MS | 57 km southwest | 68 nights | 12 nights | 31°F |
Benton County within MS
Benton County ranks 4 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 499 ft, Benton County sits 198 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.
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 Ashland, MS, 6 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.