Will Pipes Freeze in Hancock County, MS? 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Hancock County
In a normal year Hancock County, MS gets 1 night at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 7% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. 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 | 26 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 1 night |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 1 night of risk to under 1 night. 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 11/19, last around 03/06. For 20°F: 01/08 to 01/22.
How cold Hancock County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 42°F; the coldest month, January, averages 40°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40°F | 43°F | 49°F | 55°F | 63°F | 70°F | 72°F | 72°F | 68°F | 57°F | 46°F | 42°F |
Hancock County next to its neighbours
Pearl River County, MS, 44 km north, gets 2 nights below 20°F to Hancock County's 1 night. Harrison County, MS, 38 km east, gets under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock County, MS | - | 26 nights | 1 night | 40°F |
| Harrison County, MS | 38 km east | 16 nights | under 1 night | 43°F |
| Pearl River County, MS | 44 km north | 27 nights | 2 nights | 39°F |
| St. Tammany Parish, LA | 45 km west | 24 nights | under 1 night | 41°F |
| St. Bernard Parish, LA | 57 km south | 14 nights | under 1 night | 43°F |
| Stone County, MS | 57 km northeast | 38 nights | 3 nights | 37°F |
| Orleans Parish, LA | 57 km southwest | 4 nights | under 1 night | 46°F |
Hancock County within MS
Hancock County ranks 80 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 20 ft, Hancock County sits 281 ft below the state's median county elevation of 302 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
A few nights a year catches houses that were never built for it: pipes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Bay St Louis Nasa, MS, 11 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.