Will Pipes Freeze in Catahoula Parish, LA? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Catahoula Parish
In a normal year Catahoula Parish, LA gets 2 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 9% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs January to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 32 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 2 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 2 nights of risk to none. 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 11/22, last around 03/06. For 20°F: 01/04 to 01/16.
How cold Catahoula Parish nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 39°F; the coldest month, January, averages 37°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37°F | 40°F | 47°F | 54°F | 63°F | 70°F | 72°F | 71°F | 66°F | 55°F | 45°F | 39°F |
Catahoula Parish next to its neighbours
LaSalle Parish, LA, 30 km west, gets 3 nights below 20°F to Catahoula Parish's 2 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catahoula Parish, LA | - | 32 nights | 2 nights | 37°F |
| LaSalle Parish, LA | 30 km west | 41 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Concordia Parish, LA | 30 km southeast | 32 nights | 2 nights | 37°F |
| Adams County, MS | 51 km southeast | 39 nights | 2 nights | 36°F |
| Caldwell Parish, LA | 55 km northwest | 38 nights | 2 nights | 37°F |
| Franklin Parish, LA | 55 km north | 39 nights | 2 nights | 36°F |
| Tensas Parish, LA | 60 km northeast | 35 nights | 2 nights | 36°F |
Catahoula Parish within LA
Catahoula Parish ranks 26 of 64 LA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Claiborne Parish, LA at 5 nights, with a 34°F average winter low. The fewest is Plaquemines Parish, LA: none, winter lows near 49°F. At 54 ft, Catahoula Parish sits close to the state's median county elevation of 70 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
Why rare cold catches people out - freezes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Jonesville Locks, LA, 21 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.