Will Pipes Freeze in Major County, OK? 23 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Major County
In a normal year Major County, OK gets 23 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 39% 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 | 89 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 23 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 23 nights of risk to 5 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 11/01, last around 04/05. For 20°F: 12/01 to 03/01.
How cold Major County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°F; the coldest month, January, averages 26°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: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26°F | 28°F | 37°F | 46°F | 57°F | 67°F | 71°F | 70°F | 61°F | 48°F | 37°F | 28°F |
Major County next to its neighbours
Blaine County, OK, 49 km south, gets 27 nights below 20°F to Major County's 23 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major County, OK | - | 89 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
| Blaine County, OK | 49 km south | 93 nights | 27 nights | 24°F |
| Alfalfa County, OK | 50 km northeast | 104 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Woods County, OK | 54 km northwest | 108 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Dewey County, OK | 56 km southwest | 105 nights | 33 nights | 23°F |
| Woodward County, OK | 67 km west | 106 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Garfield County, OK | 68 km east | 93 nights | 26 nights | 25°F |
Major County within OK
Major County ranks 25 of 77 OK counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Beaver County, OK at 55 nights, with a 21°F average winter low. The fewest is Choctaw County, OK: 7 nights, winter lows near 34°F. At 1,322 ft, Major County sits 313 ft above the state's median county elevation of 1,009 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 Fairview Mesonet (1 mi W), OK, 7 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.