Will Pipes Freeze in Coles County, IL? 38 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Coles County
In a normal year Coles County, IL gets 38 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 54% 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 | 106 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 38 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 14 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 4 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 38 nights of risk to 14 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 10/23, last around 04/15. For 20°F: 11/25 to 03/14.
How cold Coles County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 21°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, March, December: 14 nights a year, and 4 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21°F | 24°F | 33°F | 44°F | 54°F | 63°F | 66°F | 64°F | 57°F | 46°F | 35°F | 26°F |
Coles County next to its neighbours
Douglas County, IL, 28 km north, gets 43 nights below 20°F to Coles County's 38 nights. Clark County, IL, 42 km southeast, gets 36 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coles County, IL | - | 106 nights | 38 nights | 21°F |
| Cumberland County, IL | 27 km south | 113 nights | 38 nights | 20°F |
| Douglas County, IL | 28 km north | 117 nights | 43 nights | 18°F |
| Moultrie County, IL | 37 km west | 119 nights | 46 nights | 19°F |
| Clark County, IL | 42 km southeast | 111 nights | 36 nights | 19°F |
| Edgar County, IL | 45 km northeast | 117 nights | 44 nights | 17°F |
| Shelby County, IL | 52 km west | 113 nights | 41 nights | 19°F |
Coles County within IL
Coles County ranks 67 of 102 IL counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Jo Daviess County, IL at 76 nights, with a 14°F average winter low. The fewest is Alexander County, IL: 21 nights, winter lows near 29°F. At 657 ft, Coles County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 632 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 Charleston, IL, 6 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.