Will Pipes Freeze in Montgomery County, IL? 35 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Montgomery County
In a normal year Montgomery County, IL gets 35 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 51% 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 | 103 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 35 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 12 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 3 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 35 nights of risk to 12 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 10/24, last around 04/13. For 20°F: 11/24 to 03/12.
How cold Montgomery 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: 12 nights a year, and 3 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21°F | 25°F | 34°F | 44°F | 54°F | 63°F | 66°F | 65°F | 57°F | 45°F | 35°F | 26°F |
Montgomery County next to its neighbours
Macoupin County, IL, 39 km west, gets 39 nights below 20°F to Montgomery County's 35 nights. Madison County, IL, 58 km southwest, gets 28 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County, IL | - | 103 nights | 35 nights | 21°F |
| Bond County, IL | 38 km south | 103 nights | 35 nights | 21°F |
| Macoupin County, IL | 39 km west | 109 nights | 39 nights | 19°F |
| Christian County, IL | 39 km northeast | 117 nights | 42 nights | 19°F |
| Fayette County, IL | 47 km southeast | 107 nights | 36 nights | 21°F |
| Madison County, IL | 58 km southwest | 86 nights | 28 nights | 23°F |
| Sangamon County, IL | 61 km north | 113 nights | 45 nights | 19°F |
Montgomery County within IL
Montgomery County ranks 77 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 632 ft, Montgomery County sits close to 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.
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 Hillsboro, IL, 8 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.