Will Pipes Freeze in Dallas County, MO? 39 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Dallas County
In a normal year Dallas County, MO gets 39 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 55% 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 | 108 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 39 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 12 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 39 nights of risk to 12 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 10/15, last around 04/23. For 20°F: 11/14 to 03/19.
How cold Dallas County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 23°F; the coldest month, January, averages 20°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, March, November, December: 12 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20°F | 24°F | 33°F | 42°F | 53°F | 62°F | 66°F | 64°F | 55°F | 43°F | 33°F | 24°F |
Dallas County next to its neighbours
Polk County, MO, 33 km west, gets 35 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas County, MO | - | 108 nights | 39 nights | 20°F |
| Polk County, MO | 33 km west | 108 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Hickory County, MO | 38 km northwest | 105 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Laclede County, MO | 39 km east | 96 nights | 31 nights | 22°F |
| Camden County, MO | 45 km northeast | 95 nights | 29 nights | 23°F |
| Webster County, MO | 47 km south | 97 nights | 32 nights | 22°F |
| Greene County, MO | 55 km southwest | 94 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
Dallas County within MO
Dallas County ranks 60 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 1,028 ft, Dallas County sits 186 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 Buffalo (2 mi N), MO, 7 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.