Will Pipes Freeze in McCurtain County, OK? 11 nights a Year
Freeze nights in McCurtain County
In a normal year McCurtain County, OK gets 11 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 27% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 69 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 11 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 11 nights of risk to 1 night. 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 04/01. For 20°F: 12/16 to 02/14.
How cold McCurtain County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 28°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: 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 32°F | 40°F | 48°F | 58°F | 65°F | 69°F | 68°F | 62°F | 49°F | 39°F | 32°F |
McCurtain County next to its neighbours
Polk County, AR, 64 km northeast, gets 15 nights below 20°F to McCurtain County's 11 nights. Sevier County, AR, 50 km east, gets 8 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McCurtain County, OK | - | 69 nights | 11 nights | 28°F |
| Sevier County, AR | 50 km east | 67 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Red River County, TX | 61 km southwest | 57 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Polk County, AR | 64 km northeast | 72 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Pushmataha County, OK | 66 km northwest | 74 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Little River County, AR | 67 km southeast | 52 nights | 5 nights | 32°F |
| Howard County, AR | 71 km east | 68 nights | 9 nights | 30°F |
McCurtain County within OK
McCurtain County ranks 70 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 636 ft, McCurtain County sits 373 ft below 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.
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 Broken Bow (1 mi N), OK, 8 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.