Will Pipes Freeze in Dent County, MO? 30 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Dent County
In a normal year Dent County, MO gets 30 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 46% 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 | 94 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 30 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 30 nights of risk to 9 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 10/18, last around 04/17. For 20°F: 11/19 to 03/13.
How cold Dent 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: 9 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 26°F | 34°F | 44°F | 53°F | 61°F | 65°F | 63°F | 55°F | 45°F | 35°F | 26°F |
Dent County next to its neighbours
Phelps County, MO, 39 km northwest, gets 35 nights below 20°F to Dent County's 30 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dent County, MO | - | 94 nights | 30 nights | 22°F |
| Phelps County, MO | 39 km northwest | 101 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Crawford County, MO | 43 km north | 136 nights | 56 nights | 19°F |
| Shannon County, MO | 51 km south | 123 nights | 49 nights | 21°F |
| Reynolds County, MO | 53 km southeast | 118 nights | 46 nights | 22°F |
| Texas County, MO | 53 km southwest | 108 nights | 34 nights | 24°F |
| Washington County, MO | 64 km northeast | 105 nights | 39 nights | 21°F |
Dent County within MO
Dent County ranks 97 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 1,236 ft, Dent County sits 394 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.
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 Salem, MO, 5 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.