Will Pipes Freeze in Dubois County, IN? 34 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Dubois County
In a normal year Dubois County, IN gets 34 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 | 108 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 34 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 11 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 4 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 34 nights of risk to 11 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 11/01, last around 04/10. For 20°F: 12/02 to 03/07.
How cold Dubois County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°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, December: 11 nights a year, and 4 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 24°F | 32°F | 42°F | 54°F | 62°F | 66°F | 63°F | 56°F | 45°F | 35°F | 27°F |
Dubois County next to its neighbours
Martin County, IN, 37 km north, gets 38 nights below 20°F to Dubois County's 34 nights. Pike County, IN, 31 km west, gets 32 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubois County, IN | - | 108 nights | 34 nights | 22°F |
| Pike County, IN | 31 km west | 101 nights | 32 nights | 22°F |
| Martin County, IN | 37 km north | 109 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| Orange County, IN | 39 km northeast | 118 nights | 41 nights | 21°F |
| Crawford County, IN | 39 km east | 110 nights | 37 nights | 24°F |
| Perry County, IN | 39 km southeast | 83 nights | 21 nights | 26°F |
| Daviess County, IN | 40 km northwest | 94 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
Dubois County within IN
Dubois County ranks 77 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 547 ft, Dubois County sits 213 ft below 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 Patoka Lake, IN, 16 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.