Will Pipes Freeze in Jackson County, IL? 27 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Jackson County
In a normal year Jackson County, IL gets 27 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 43% 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 | 96 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 27 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 7 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 27 nights of risk to 7 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 10/22, last around 04/09. For 20°F: 11/26 to 03/04.
How cold Jackson County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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, December: 7 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 28°F | 36°F | 45°F | 55°F | 64°F | 68°F | 65°F | 56°F | 45°F | 35°F | 28°F |
Jackson County next to its neighbours
Perry County, IL, 33 km north, gets 29 nights below 20°F to Jackson County's 27 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County, IL | - | 96 nights | 27 nights | 24°F |
| Perry County, IL | 33 km north | 96 nights | 29 nights | 23°F |
| Union County, IL | 36 km south | 95 nights | 28 nights | 25°F |
| Perry County, MO | 38 km west | 111 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| Williamson County, IL | 40 km east | 98 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Franklin County, IL | 46 km northeast | 95 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Randolph County, IL | 49 km northwest | 106 nights | 33 nights | 22°F |
Jackson County within IL
Jackson County ranks 95 of 102 IL counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Jo Daviess County, IL at 76 nights, with a 14°F average winter low. The fewest is Alexander County, IL: 21 nights, winter lows near 29°F. At 419 ft, Jackson County sits 212 ft below the state's median county elevation of 632 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 Carbondale Southern Il Airport, IL, 12 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.