Will Pipes Freeze in Clay County, MS? 9 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Clay County
In a normal year Clay County, MS gets 9 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 25% 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 | 62 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 9 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 9 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 11/08, last around 03/23. For 20°F: 12/30 to 02/02.
How cold Clay 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 | 43°F | 50°F | 60°F | 68°F | 71°F | 70°F | 63°F | 51°F | 40°F | 35°F |
Clay County next to its neighbours
Chickasaw County, MS, 34 km northwest, gets 13 nights below 20°F to Clay County's 9 nights. Oktibbeha County, MS, 28 km south, gets 8 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, MS | - | 62 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
| Oktibbeha County, MS | 28 km south | 60 nights | 8 nights | 33°F |
| Chickasaw County, MS | 34 km northwest | 69 nights | 13 nights | 32°F |
| Monroe County, MS | 38 km northeast | 60 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Lowndes County, MS | 38 km southeast | 51 nights | 5 nights | 36°F |
| Webster County, MS | 47 km west | 70 nights | 11 nights | 32°F |
| Choctaw County, MS | 56 km southwest | 66 nights | 10 nights | 32°F |
Clay County within MS
Clay County ranks 21 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 271 ft, Clay County sits close to 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.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is State Univ, MS, 21 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. What a "fair" or "distant" station match means is in the method guide.