Will Pipes Freeze in Butler County, MO? 19 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Butler County
In a normal year Butler County, MO gets 19 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 36% 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 | 83 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 19 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 4 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 19 nights of risk to 4 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 11/05, last around 03/29. For 20°F: 12/09 to 02/25.
How cold Butler County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, January, averages 26°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: 4 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26°F | 30°F | 38°F | 48°F | 58°F | 67°F | 70°F | 68°F | 60°F | 48°F | 37°F | 30°F |
Butler County next to its neighbours
Ripley County, MO, 43 km west, gets 36 nights below 20°F to Butler County's 19 nights. Clay County, AR, 39 km south, gets 15 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler County, MO | - | 83 nights | 19 nights | 26°F |
| Clay County, AR | 39 km south | 71 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Ripley County, MO | 43 km west | 105 nights | 36 nights | 25°F |
| Stoddard County, MO | 43 km east | 89 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
| Wayne County, MO | 44 km north | 96 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
| Carter County, MO | 55 km northwest | 115 nights | 40 nights | 22°F |
| Greene County, AR | 68 km south | 66 nights | 13 nights | 28°F |
Butler County within MO
Butler County ranks 112 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 323 ft, Butler County sits 519 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 Poplar Bluff, 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.