Will Pipes Freeze in Choctaw County, MS? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Choctaw County
In a normal year Choctaw County, MS gets 10 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 26% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 66 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 10 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 10 nights of risk to under 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 11/04, last around 03/30. For 20°F: 12/20 to 02/11.
How cold Choctaw 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: under 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 35°F | 42°F | 49°F | 59°F | 66°F | 70°F | 69°F | 63°F | 50°F | 40°F | 35°F |
Choctaw County next to its neighbours
Webster County, MS, 30 km north, gets 11 nights below 20°F to Choctaw County's 10 nights. Winston County, MS, 36 km southeast, gets 7 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choctaw County, MS | - | 66 nights | 10 nights | 32°F |
| Webster County, MS | 30 km north | 70 nights | 11 nights | 32°F |
| Winston County, MS | 36 km southeast | 53 nights | 7 nights | 34°F |
| Oktibbeha County, MS | 36 km east | 60 nights | 8 nights | 33°F |
| Montgomery County, MS | 40 km northwest | 81 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Attala County, MS | 42 km southwest | 59 nights | 7 nights | 33°F |
| Clay County, MS | 56 km northeast | 62 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
Choctaw County within MS
Choctaw County ranks 17 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 551 ft, Choctaw County sits 249 ft above the state's median county elevation of 302 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Which pipe gets which threshold: the 32, 20, 10 and 0 rule.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Eupora (2 mi E), MS, 24 km away (fair 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.