Will Pipes Freeze in Natchitoches Parish, LA? 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Natchitoches Parish
In a normal year Natchitoches Parish, LA gets 1 night at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 7% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs January to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 29 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 1 night |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 1 night of risk to none. 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 12/01, last around 02/28. For 20°F: 01/10 to 01/19.
How cold Natchitoches Parish nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 40°F; the coldest month, January, averages 39°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39°F | 42°F | 49°F | 56°F | 65°F | 73°F | 75°F | 75°F | 69°F | 57°F | 47°F | 41°F |
Natchitoches Parish next to its neighbours
Winn Parish, LA, 48 km northeast, gets 3 nights below 20°F to Natchitoches Parish's 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natchitoches Parish, LA | - | 29 nights | 1 night | 39°F |
| Winn Parish, LA | 48 km northeast | 45 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Red River Parish, LA | 48 km northwest | 44 nights | 3 nights | 35°F |
| Sabine Parish, LA | 49 km southwest | 37 nights | 2 nights | 36°F |
| Grant Parish, LA | 52 km east | 22 nights | 1 night | 39°F |
| Bienville Parish, LA | 68 km north | 44 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Vernon Parish, LA | 71 km south | 34 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
Natchitoches Parish within LA
Natchitoches Parish ranks 31 of 64 LA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Claiborne Parish, LA at 5 nights, with a 34°F average winter low. The fewest is Plaquemines Parish, LA: none, winter lows near 49°F. At 113 ft, Natchitoches Parish sits close to the state's median county elevation of 70 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
A few nights a year catches houses that were never built for it: pipes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Natchitoches, LA, 5 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.