Will Pipes Freeze in Dade County, MO? 33 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Dade County
In a normal year Dade County, MO gets 33 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 49% 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 | 102 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 33 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 10 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 33 nights of risk to 10 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 10/25, last around 04/11. For 20°F: 11/24 to 03/07.
How cold Dade County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°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: 10 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 26°F | 35°F | 44°F | 54°F | 64°F | 68°F | 66°F | 58°F | 46°F | 35°F | 27°F |
Dade County next to its neighbours
Lawrence County, MO, 36 km south, gets 38 nights below 20°F to Dade County's 33 nights. Cedar County, MO, 34 km north, gets 32 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dade County, MO | - | 102 nights | 33 nights | 22°F |
| Cedar County, MO | 34 km north | 94 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
| Lawrence County, MO | 36 km south | 111 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| Barton County, MO | 44 km west | 100 nights | 30 nights | 23°F |
| Polk County, MO | 45 km northeast | 108 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Greene County, MO | 49 km southeast | 94 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
| Jasper County, MO | 50 km southwest | 93 nights | 27 nights | 24°F |
Dade County within MO
Dade County ranks 86 of 115 MO counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Caldwell County, MO at 65 nights, with a 19°F average winter low. The fewest is Pemiscot County, MO: 14 nights, winter lows near 31°F. At 1,052 ft, Dade County sits 210 ft above the state's median county elevation of 842 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 Lockwood, MO, 10 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.