Will Pipes Freeze in Montgomery County, MS? 14 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Montgomery County
In a normal year Montgomery County, MS gets 14 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 31% 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 | 81 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 14 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 14 nights of risk to 2 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 10/29, last around 04/07. For 20°F: 12/06 to 02/23.
How cold Montgomery County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°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: 2 nights a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 32°F | 39°F | 46°F | 56°F | 64°F | 67°F | 66°F | 60°F | 47°F | 37°F | 32°F |
Montgomery County next to its neighbours
Carroll County, MS, 27 km west, gets 9 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County, MS | - | 81 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Carroll County, MS | 27 km west | 61 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
| Grenada County, MS | 34 km northwest | 70 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Webster County, MS | 35 km east | 70 nights | 11 nights | 32°F |
| Choctaw County, MS | 40 km southeast | 66 nights | 10 nights | 32°F |
| Attala County, MS | 46 km south | 59 nights | 7 nights | 33°F |
| Calhoun County, MS | 56 km northeast | 65 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
Montgomery County within MS
Montgomery County ranks 6 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 433 ft, Montgomery County sits 131 ft above the state's median county elevation of 302 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Winona (5 mi E), MS, 2 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. What a "fair" or "distant" station match means is in the method guide.