Will Pipes Freeze in Marion County, IL? 34 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Marion County
In a normal year Marion County, IL gets 34 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 50% 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 | 102 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 34 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 11 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 34 nights of risk to 11 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 10/26, last around 04/09. For 20°F: 11/27 to 03/09.
How cold Marion County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 21°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: 11 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21°F | 24°F | 33°F | 44°F | 55°F | 64°F | 67°F | 65°F | 57°F | 45°F | 34°F | 26°F |
Marion County next to its neighbours
Jefferson County, IL, 39 km south, gets 37 nights below 20°F to Marion County's 34 nights. Wayne County, IL, 49 km southeast, gets 32 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County, IL | - | 102 nights | 34 nights | 21°F |
| Jefferson County, IL | 39 km south | 108 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
| Clay County, IL | 40 km east | 105 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Fayette County, IL | 40 km north | 107 nights | 36 nights | 21°F |
| Clinton County, IL | 44 km west | 100 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Wayne County, IL | 49 km southeast | 100 nights | 32 nights | 24°F |
| Bond County, IL | 52 km northwest | 103 nights | 35 nights | 21°F |
Marion County within IL
Marion County ranks 80 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 555 ft, Marion County sits 76 ft below 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.
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 Salem, IL, 2 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.