Will Pipes Freeze in Lafayette County, MS? 12 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Lafayette County
In a normal year Lafayette County, MS gets 12 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 29% 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 | 68 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 12 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 12 nights of risk to 2 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 10/31, last around 04/03. For 20°F: 12/09 to 02/17.
How cold Lafayette County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 33°F; the coldest month, January, averages 31°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: 2 nights a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 34°F | 41°F | 49°F | 59°F | 67°F | 70°F | 69°F | 62°F | 49°F | 40°F | 33°F |
Lafayette County next to its neighbours
Marshall County, MS, 46 km north, gets 20 nights below 20°F to Lafayette County's 12 nights. Pontotoc County, MS, 43 km east, gets 10 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette County, MS | - | 68 nights | 12 nights | 31°F |
| Yalobusha County, MS | 41 km southwest | 73 nights | 12 nights | 30°F |
| Pontotoc County, MS | 43 km east | 61 nights | 10 nights | 32°F |
| Panola County, MS | 44 km west | 66 nights | 10 nights | 32°F |
| Marshall County, MS | 46 km north | 82 nights | 20 nights | 29°F |
| Union County, MS | 47 km east | 74 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Calhoun County, MS | 48 km south | 65 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
Lafayette County within MS
Lafayette County ranks 11 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 469 ft, Lafayette County sits 167 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 University, MS, 5 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. What a "fair" or "distant" station match means is in the method guide.