Will Pipes Freeze in Lauderdale County, MS? 4 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Lauderdale County
In a normal year Lauderdale County, MS gets 4 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 15% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. 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 | 48 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 4 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 4 nights of risk to under 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 11/12, last around 03/16. For 20°F: 01/03 to 01/27.
How cold Lauderdale County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 38°F; the coldest month, January, averages 36°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 40°F | 46°F | 53°F | 61°F | 69°F | 72°F | 71°F | 65°F | 54°F | 43°F | 39°F |
Lauderdale County next to its neighbours
Newton County, MS, 43 km west, gets 7 nights below 20°F to Lauderdale County's 4 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lauderdale County, MS | - | 48 nights | 4 nights | 36°F |
| Kemper County, MS | 39 km north | 47 nights | 5 nights | 36°F |
| Clarke County, MS | 40 km south | 45 nights | 4 nights | 36°F |
| Newton County, MS | 43 km west | 59 nights | 7 nights | 34°F |
| Sumter County, AL | 48 km northeast | 61 nights | 8 nights | 34°F |
| Neshoba County, MS | 58 km northwest | 49 nights | 5 nights | 35°F |
| Choctaw County, AL | 60 km southeast | 46 nights | 4 nights | 36°F |
Lauderdale County within MS
Lauderdale County ranks 52 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 342 ft, Lauderdale County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 302 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Meridian Key Field, MS, 11 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.