Will Pipes Freeze in Monroe County, MS? 8 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Monroe County
In a normal year Monroe County, MS gets 8 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 23% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 60 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 8 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 8 nights of risk to under 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 11/05, last around 03/29. For 20°F: 12/21 to 02/11.
How cold Monroe County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 33°F; the coldest month, January, averages 31°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: under 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 34°F | 41°F | 49°F | 58°F | 66°F | 69°F | 69°F | 62°F | 50°F | 39°F | 33°F |
Monroe County next to its neighbours
Clay County, MS, 38 km southwest, gets 9 nights below 20°F to Monroe County's 8 nights. Lowndes County, MS, 47 km south, gets 5 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County, MS | - | 60 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Clay County, MS | 38 km southwest | 62 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
| Lamar County, AL | 38 km east | 66 nights | 10 nights | 33°F |
| Chickasaw County, MS | 43 km west | 69 nights | 13 nights | 32°F |
| Itawamba County, MS | 45 km north | 66 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Lowndes County, MS | 47 km south | 51 nights | 5 nights | 36°F |
| Lee County, MS | 48 km north | 57 nights | 8 nights | 33°F |
Monroe County within MS
Monroe County ranks 26 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 222 ft, Monroe County sits 79 ft below the state's median county elevation of 302 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Aberdeen, MS, 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.