Will Pipes Freeze in Gibson County, IN? 32 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Gibson County
In a normal year Gibson County, IN gets 32 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 48% 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 | 101 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 32 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 11 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 32 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 10/25, last around 04/13. For 20°F: 11/24 to 03/13.
How cold Gibson County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 21°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: 11 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21°F | 24°F | 32°F | 43°F | 54°F | 63°F | 66°F | 65°F | 57°F | 45°F | 33°F | 26°F |
Gibson County next to its neighbours
Wabash County, IL, 27 km northwest, gets 35 nights below 20°F to Gibson County's 32 nights. Vanderburgh County, IN, 33 km south, gets 21 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gibson County, IN | - | 101 nights | 32 nights | 21°F |
| Wabash County, IL | 27 km northwest | 105 nights | 35 nights | 24°F |
| Pike County, IN | 32 km east | 101 nights | 32 nights | 22°F |
| Vanderburgh County, IN | 33 km south | 81 nights | 21 nights | 26°F |
| Warrick County, IN | 36 km southeast | 90 nights | 25 nights | 25°F |
| Posey County, IN | 41 km southwest | 86 nights | 24 nights | 23°F |
| Edwards County, IL | 42 km west | 92 nights | 29 nights | 23°F |
Gibson County within IN
Gibson County ranks 81 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 499 ft, Gibson County sits 260 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.
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 Princeton (1 mi W), IN, 5 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.