Will Pipes Freeze in Forrest County, MS? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Forrest County
In a normal year Forrest County, MS gets 2 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 10% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs January to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 34 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 2 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 2 nights of risk to none. 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 11/23, last around 03/07. For 20°F: 01/06 to 01/26.
How cold Forrest County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 40°F; the coldest month, January, averages 38°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38°F | 41°F | 48°F | 54°F | 62°F | 69°F | 72°F | 72°F | 67°F | 55°F | 45°F | 40°F |
Forrest County next to its neighbours
Perry County, MS, 26 km east, gets 4 nights below 20°F to Forrest County's 2 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forrest County, MS | - | 34 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| Lamar County, MS | 24 km west | 33 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| Perry County, MS | 26 km east | 47 nights | 4 nights | 36°F |
| Stone County, MS | 46 km south | 38 nights | 3 nights | 37°F |
| Jones County, MS | 48 km north | 41 nights | 3 nights | 35°F |
| Marion County, MS | 54 km west | 37 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| Pearl River County, MS | 56 km southwest | 27 nights | 2 nights | 39°F |
Forrest County within MS
Forrest County ranks 73 of 82 MS counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Tishomingo County, MS at 24 nights, with a 30°F average winter low. The fewest is Harrison County, MS: under 1 night, winter lows near 45°F. At 321 ft, Forrest County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 302 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Which pipe gets which threshold: the 32, 20, 10 and 0 rule.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Hattiesburg (5 mi SW), MS, 11 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. What a "fair" or "distant" station match means is in the method guide.