Will Pipes Freeze in Boone County, MO? 31 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Boone County
In a normal year Boone County, MO gets 31 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 47% 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 | 94 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 31 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 10 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 31 nights of risk to 10 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 10/31, last around 04/05. For 20°F: 11/29 to 03/06.
How cold Boone County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°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, December: 10 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 26°F | 36°F | 46°F | 56°F | 65°F | 69°F | 67°F | 59°F | 47°F | 36°F | 27°F |
Boone County next to its neighbours
Howard County, MO, 37 km northwest, gets 40 nights below 20°F to Boone County's 31 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County, MO | - | 94 nights | 31 nights | 22°F |
| Howard County, MO | 37 km northwest | 109 nights | 40 nights | 19°F |
| Callaway County, MO | 38 km southeast | 116 nights | 44 nights | 20°F |
| Cooper County, MO | 46 km west | 107 nights | 39 nights | 20°F |
| Moniteau County, MO | 46 km southwest | 105 nights | 38 nights | 20°F |
| Audrain County, MO | 47 km northeast | 113 nights | 42 nights | 19°F |
| Randolph County, MO | 52 km north | 103 nights | 41 nights | 19°F |
Boone County within MO
Boone County ranks 94 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 713 ft, Boone County sits 129 ft below 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 Columbia U Of M, MO, 5 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.