Will Pipes Freeze in Macoupin County, IL? 39 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Macoupin County
In a normal year Macoupin County, IL gets 39 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 55% 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 | 109 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 39 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 14 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 4 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 39 nights of risk to 14 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 04/14. For 20°F: 11/23 to 03/12.
How cold Macoupin County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 22°F; the coldest month, January, averages 19°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: 14 nights a year, and 4 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19°F | 23°F | 32°F | 43°F | 54°F | 63°F | 66°F | 64°F | 55°F | 44°F | 33°F | 25°F |
Macoupin County next to its neighbours
Greene County, IL, 41 km west, gets 45 nights below 20°F to Macoupin County's 39 nights. Montgomery County, IL, 39 km east, gets 35 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macoupin County, IL | - | 109 nights | 39 nights | 19°F |
| Montgomery County, IL | 39 km east | 103 nights | 35 nights | 21°F |
| Greene County, IL | 41 km west | 120 nights | 45 nights | 18°F |
| Jersey County, IL | 43 km southwest | 117 nights | 42 nights | 19°F |
| Madison County, IL | 49 km south | 86 nights | 28 nights | 23°F |
| Morgan County, IL | 56 km northwest | 125 nights | 49 nights | 18°F |
| Sangamon County, IL | 59 km north | 113 nights | 45 nights | 19°F |
Macoupin County within IL
Macoupin County ranks 65 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 618 ft, Macoupin County sits close to 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 Carlinville, IL, 5 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.