Will Pipes Freeze in Cape Girardeau County, MO? 25 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Cape Girardeau County
In a normal year Cape Girardeau County, MO gets 25 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 41% 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 | 91 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 25 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 6 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 25 nights of risk to 6 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 10/29, last around 04/07. For 20°F: 11/29 to 03/06.
How cold Cape Girardeau County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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: 6 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 27°F | 35°F | 46°F | 56°F | 65°F | 69°F | 67°F | 59°F | 47°F | 35°F | 28°F |
Cape Girardeau County next to its neighbours
Bollinger County, MO, 31 km west, gets 30 nights below 20°F to Cape Girardeau County's 25 nights. Alexander County, IL, 37 km southeast, gets 21 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Girardeau County, MO | - | 91 nights | 25 nights | 24°F |
| Bollinger County, MO | 31 km west | 95 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
| Alexander County, IL | 37 km southeast | 84 nights | 21 nights | 26°F |
| Perry County, MO | 38 km north | 111 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| Scott County, MO | 39 km south | 84 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
| Union County, IL | 41 km east | 95 nights | 28 nights | 25°F |
| Jackson County, IL | 52 km northeast | 96 nights | 27 nights | 24°F |
Cape Girardeau County within MO
Cape Girardeau County ranks 108 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 450 ft, Cape Girardeau County sits 391 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 Jackson, MO, 2 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.