Will Pipes Freeze in McClain County, OK? 17 nights a Year
Freeze nights in McClain County
In a normal year McClain County, OK gets 17 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 34% 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 | 77 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 17 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 3 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 17 nights of risk to 3 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 11/02, last around 04/04. For 20°F: 12/02 to 02/28.
How cold McClain County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 30°F; the coldest month, January, averages 27°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: 3 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 32°F | 40°F | 48°F | 58°F | 67°F | 70°F | 69°F | 62°F | 50°F | 39°F | 30°F |
McClain County next to its neighbours
Garvin County, OK, 36 km south, gets 20 nights below 20°F to McClain County's 17 nights. Cleveland County, OK, 24 km northeast, gets 16 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McClain County, OK | - | 77 nights | 17 nights | 27°F |
| Cleveland County, OK | 24 km northeast | 76 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Garvin County, OK | 36 km south | 80 nights | 20 nights | 28°F |
| Grady County, OK | 40 km west | 86 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
| Pottawatomie County, OK | 50 km northeast | 72 nights | 16 nights | 29°F |
| Oklahoma County, OK | 60 km north | 69 nights | 17 nights | 29°F |
| Murray County, OK | 68 km southeast | 75 nights | 18 nights | 28°F |
McClain County within OK
McClain County ranks 49 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 1,233 ft, McClain County sits 224 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 Purcell (2 mi SW), OK, 7 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.