Will Pipes Freeze in Cumberland County, IL? 38 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Cumberland County
In a normal year Cumberland 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 | 113 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 38 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 15 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 15 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 10/20, last around 04/14. For 20°F: 11/19 to 03/16.
How cold Cumberland County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 23°F; the coldest month, January, averages 20°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: 15 nights a year, and 4 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20°F | 23°F | 32°F | 43°F | 54°F | 63°F | 66°F | 64°F | 55°F | 44°F | 34°F | 25°F |
Cumberland County next to its neighbours
Effingham County, IL, 39 km southwest, gets 40 nights below 20°F to Cumberland County's 38 nights. Jasper County, IL, 31 km south, gets 36 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cumberland County, IL | - | 113 nights | 38 nights | 20°F |
| Coles County, IL | 27 km north | 106 nights | 38 nights | 21°F |
| Jasper County, IL | 31 km south | 106 nights | 36 nights | 22°F |
| Clark County, IL | 39 km east | 111 nights | 36 nights | 19°F |
| Effingham County, IL | 39 km southwest | 112 nights | 40 nights | 20°F |
| Shelby County, IL | 50 km west | 113 nights | 41 nights | 19°F |
| Crawford County, IL | 51 km southeast | 113 nights | 40 nights | 20°F |
Cumberland County within IL
Cumberland County ranks 66 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 600 ft, Cumberland 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Casey, IL, 23 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.