Will Pipes Freeze in Franklin County, MO? 35 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Franklin County
In a normal year Franklin County, MO gets 35 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 51% 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 | 106 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 35 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 10 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 35 nights of risk to 10 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 10/23, last around 04/11. For 20°F: 11/26 to 03/08.
How cold Franklin 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, December: 10 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 25°F | 34°F | 44°F | 54°F | 63°F | 67°F | 65°F | 56°F | 45°F | 34°F | 26°F |
Franklin County next to its neighbours
Gasconade County, MO, 38 km west, gets 46 nights below 20°F to Franklin County's 35 nights. Jefferson County, MO, 49 km east, gets 34 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County, MO | - | 106 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Gasconade County, MO | 38 km west | 119 nights | 46 nights | 19°F |
| Warren County, MO | 40 km north | 112 nights | 41 nights | 20°F |
| Jefferson County, MO | 49 km east | 104 nights | 34 nights | 22°F |
| St. Charles County, MO | 54 km northeast | 104 nights | 37 nights | 21°F |
| Crawford County, MO | 54 km southwest | 136 nights | 56 nights | 19°F |
| Washington County, MO | 55 km south | 105 nights | 39 nights | 21°F |
Franklin County within MO
Franklin County ranks 75 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 679 ft, Franklin County sits 162 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Union, MO, 7 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.