Will Pipes Freeze in Itawamba County, MS? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Itawamba County
In a normal year Itawamba 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 December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 66 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 10/31, last around 04/01. For 20°F: 12/06 to 02/22.
How cold Itawamba County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 33°F | 40°F | 49°F | 58°F | 66°F | 70°F | 68°F | 61°F | 49°F | 39°F | 33°F |
Itawamba County next to its neighbours
Prentiss County, MS, 40 km north, gets 12 nights below 20°F to Itawamba County's 10 nights. Lee County, MS, 29 km west, gets 8 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Itawamba County, MS | - | 66 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Lee County, MS | 29 km west | 57 nights | 8 nights | 33°F |
| Prentiss County, MS | 40 km north | 68 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Monroe County, MS | 45 km south | 60 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Marion County, AL | 47 km east | 90 nights | 23 nights | 29°F |
| Franklin County, AL | 51 km east | 71 nights | 14 nights | 31°F |
| Tishomingo County, MS | 52 km north | 95 nights | 24 nights | 28°F |
Itawamba County within MS
Itawamba County ranks 16 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 437 ft, Itawamba County sits 135 ft above 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.
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 Fulton (3 mi W), MS, 9 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.