Will Pipes Freeze in Jackson County, IN? 37 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Jackson County
In a normal year Jackson County, IN gets 37 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 53% 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 | 115 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 37 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 12 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 3 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 37 nights of risk to 12 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: 11/26 to 03/12.
How cold Jackson 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: 12 nights a year, and 3 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 24°F | 32°F | 42°F | 53°F | 62°F | 65°F | 62°F | 55°F | 43°F | 33°F | 26°F |
Jackson County next to its neighbours
Brown County, IN, 35 km northwest, gets 39 nights below 20°F to Jackson County's 37 nights. Bartholomew County, IN, 35 km north, gets 36 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County, IN | - | 115 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
| Bartholomew County, IN | 35 km north | 109 nights | 36 nights | 21°F |
| Washington County, IN | 35 km south | 104 nights | 34 nights | 24°F |
| Brown County, IN | 35 km northwest | 114 nights | 39 nights | 20°F |
| Scott County, IN | 36 km southeast | 113 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Jennings County, IN | 37 km east | 102 nights | 33 nights | 23°F |
| Lawrence County, IN | 39 km west | 112 nights | 40 nights | 21°F |
Jackson County within IN
Jackson County ranks 68 of 92 IN counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Steuben County, IN at 63 nights, with a 19°F average winter low. The fewest is Floyd County, IN: 19 nights, winter lows near 29°F. At 543 ft, Jackson County sits 216 ft below the state's median county elevation of 759 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 Seymour (2 mi N), IN, 15 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.