Will Pipes Freeze in Chickasaw County, MS? 13 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Chickasaw County
In a normal year Chickasaw County, MS gets 13 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 30% 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 | 69 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 13 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 13 nights of risk to 1 night. 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 11/01, last around 03/28. For 20°F: 12/18 to 02/08.
How cold Chickasaw County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 34°F; the coldest month, January, averages 32°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: 1 night a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 35°F | 43°F | 50°F | 59°F | 67°F | 70°F | 69°F | 62°F | 50°F | 40°F | 35°F |
Chickasaw County next to its neighbours
Pontotoc County, MS, 34 km north, gets 10 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chickasaw County, MS | - | 69 nights | 13 nights | 32°F |
| Pontotoc County, MS | 34 km north | 61 nights | 10 nights | 32°F |
| Clay County, MS | 34 km southeast | 62 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
| Calhoun County, MS | 36 km west | 65 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
| Monroe County, MS | 43 km east | 60 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Lee County, MS | 47 km northeast | 57 nights | 8 nights | 33°F |
| Webster County, MS | 47 km southwest | 70 nights | 11 nights | 32°F |
Chickasaw County within MS
Chickasaw County ranks 7 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 349 ft, Chickasaw County sits close to 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Houston, MS, 7 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.