Will Pipes Freeze in Marion County, MS? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Marion County
In a normal year Marion County, MS gets 2 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 10% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs January to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 37 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 2 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 2 nights of risk to none. 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 11/19, last around 03/05. For 20°F: 01/08 to 01/21.
How cold Marion County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 40°F; the coldest month, January, averages 38°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38°F | 42°F | 48°F | 55°F | 63°F | 70°F | 72°F | 72°F | 67°F | 56°F | 45°F | 40°F |
Marion County next to its neighbours
Walthall County, MS, 28 km west, gets 3 nights below 20°F to Marion County's 2 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marion County, MS | - | 37 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| Walthall County, MS | 28 km west | 36 nights | 3 nights | 37°F |
| Lamar County, MS | 30 km east | 33 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| Jefferson Davis County, MS | 37 km north | 41 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Lawrence County, MS | 45 km northwest | 45 nights | 4 nights | 36°F |
| Washington Parish, LA | 47 km southwest | 31 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| Covington County, MS | 52 km northeast | 41 nights | 3 nights | 34°F |
Marion County within MS
Marion County ranks 75 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 145 ft, Marion County sits 157 ft below the state's median county elevation of 302 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
Why rare cold catches people out - freezes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Columbia, MS, 3 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.