Will Pipes Freeze in Holmes County, MS? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Holmes County
In a normal year Holmes County, MS gets 10 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 27% 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 | 60 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 10 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 10 nights of risk to 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 11/01, last around 03/31. For 20°F: 12/10 to 02/16.
How cold Holmes County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 33°F; the coldest month, January, averages 31°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: 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 34°F | 42°F | 49°F | 59°F | 65°F | 69°F | 68°F | 61°F | 50°F | 39°F | 33°F |
Holmes County next to its neighbours
Carroll County, MS, 39 km northeast, gets 9 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holmes County, MS | - | 60 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Carroll County, MS | 39 km northeast | 61 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
| Humphreys County, MS | 40 km west | 39 nights | 4 nights | 36°F |
| Attala County, MS | 47 km east | 59 nights | 7 nights | 33°F |
| Yazoo County, MS | 49 km southwest | 42 nights | 3 nights | 37°F |
| Leflore County, MS | 51 km north | 44 nights | 4 nights | 35°F |
| Madison County, MS | 55 km south | 57 nights | 7 nights | 34°F |
Holmes County within MS
Holmes County ranks 14 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 271 ft, Holmes County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 302 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 Lexington, MS, 4 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.