Will Pipes Freeze in Iron County, MO? 38 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Iron County
In a normal year Iron County, MO gets 38 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 54% 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 | 107 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 38 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 38 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 10/28, last around 04/11. For 20°F: 11/26 to 03/11.
How cold Iron 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, March, December: 11 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 25°F | 33°F | 44°F | 54°F | 62°F | 66°F | 64°F | 56°F | 45°F | 34°F | 26°F |
Iron County next to its neighbours
Madison County, MO, 36 km southeast, gets 40 nights below 20°F to Iron County's 38 nights. St. Francois County, MO, 29 km northeast, gets 35 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron County, MO | - | 107 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| St. Francois County, MO | 29 km northeast | 105 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Madison County, MO | 36 km southeast | 111 nights | 40 nights | 22°F |
| Reynolds County, MO | 38 km southwest | 118 nights | 46 nights | 22°F |
| Washington County, MO | 39 km northwest | 105 nights | 39 nights | 21°F |
| Ste. Genevieve County, MO | 55 km northeast | 105 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Wayne County, MO | 61 km south | 96 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
Iron County within MO
Iron County ranks 66 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 1,567 ft, Iron County sits 725 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.
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 Potosi (4 mi SW), MO, 33 km away (fair 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.