Will Pipes Freeze in Howell County, MO? 33 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Howell County
In a normal year Howell County, MO gets 33 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 49% 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 | 104 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 33 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 33 nights of risk to 9 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 10/21, last around 04/16. For 20°F: 11/24 to 03/10.
How cold Howell County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°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, March, December: 9 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 26°F | 34°F | 44°F | 53°F | 62°F | 66°F | 64°F | 56°F | 44°F | 34°F | 26°F |
Howell County next to its neighbours
Oregon County, MO, 44 km east, gets 42 nights below 20°F to Howell County's 33 nights. Fulton County, AR, 44 km south, gets 28 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howell County, MO | - | 104 nights | 33 nights | 23°F |
| Fulton County, AR | 44 km south | 94 nights | 28 nights | 25°F |
| Oregon County, MO | 44 km east | 110 nights | 42 nights | 22°F |
| Ozark County, MO | 53 km west | 99 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
| Douglas County, MO | 59 km west | 103 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Texas County, MO | 60 km north | 108 nights | 34 nights | 24°F |
| Shannon County, MO | 61 km northeast | 123 nights | 49 nights | 21°F |
Howell County within MO
Howell County ranks 87 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 1,146 ft, Howell County sits 304 ft above 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is W Plains, MO, 5 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.