Will Pipes Freeze in Decatur County, IN? 37 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Decatur County
In a normal year Decatur County, IN gets 37 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 53% 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 | 109 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 37 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 13 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 4 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 37 nights of risk to 13 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 10/26, last around 04/15. For 20°F: 11/29 to 03/13.
How cold Decatur County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°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: 13 nights a year, and 4 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 24°F | 33°F | 44°F | 55°F | 63°F | 66°F | 64°F | 57°F | 46°F | 35°F | 27°F |
Decatur County next to its neighbours
Ripley County, IN, 31 km southeast, gets 43 nights below 20°F to Decatur County's 37 nights. Bartholomew County, IN, 36 km west, gets 36 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur County, IN | - | 109 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
| Ripley County, IN | 31 km southeast | 120 nights | 43 nights | 21°F |
| Shelby County, IN | 35 km northwest | 115 nights | 39 nights | 20°F |
| Rush County, IN | 35 km north | 119 nights | 43 nights | 19°F |
| Bartholomew County, IN | 36 km west | 109 nights | 36 nights | 21°F |
| Jennings County, IN | 36 km south | 102 nights | 33 nights | 23°F |
| Franklin County, IN | 39 km east | 120 nights | 41 nights | 20°F |
Decatur County within IN
Decatur County ranks 67 of 92 IN counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Steuben County, IN at 63 nights, with a 19°F average winter low. The fewest is Floyd County, IN: 19 nights, winter lows near 29°F. At 926 ft, Decatur County sits 167 ft above the state's median county elevation of 759 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Greensburg, IN, 5 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.