Will Pipes Freeze in Dunklin County, MO? 17 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Dunklin County
In a normal year Dunklin County, MO gets 17 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 34% 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 | 81 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 17 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 4 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 17 nights of risk to 4 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 03/31. For 20°F: 12/12 to 02/26.
How cold Dunklin County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 30°F; the coldest month, January, averages 28°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, December: 4 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 30°F | 38°F | 49°F | 58°F | 67°F | 70°F | 68°F | 60°F | 48°F | 38°F | 31°F |
Dunklin County next to its neighbours
Pemiscot County, MO, 26 km east, gets 14 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunklin County, MO | - | 81 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Pemiscot County, MO | 26 km east | 73 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Clay County, AR | 40 km northwest | 71 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Mississippi County, AR | 43 km south | 63 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Greene County, AR | 45 km west | 66 nights | 13 nights | 28°F |
| Lake County, TN | 55 km east | 77 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Lauderdale County, TN | 58 km southeast | 68 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
Dunklin County within MO
Dunklin County ranks 113 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 251 ft, Dunklin County sits 591 ft below 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Kennett Radio Kboa, MO, 8 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.