Will Pipes Freeze in Oktibbeha County, MS? 8 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Oktibbeha County
In a normal year Oktibbeha 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 11/08, last around 03/23. For 20°F: 12/30 to 02/02.
How cold Oktibbeha County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 35°F; the coldest month, January, averages 33°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33°F | 36°F | 43°F | 51°F | 61°F | 69°F | 72°F | 70°F | 64°F | 51°F | 41°F | 36°F |
Oktibbeha County next to its neighbours
Clay County, MS, 28 km north, gets 9 nights below 20°F to Oktibbeha County's 8 nights. Lowndes County, MS, 41 km east, gets 5 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oktibbeha County, MS | - | 60 nights | 8 nights | 33°F |
| Clay County, MS | 28 km north | 62 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
| Choctaw County, MS | 36 km west | 66 nights | 10 nights | 32°F |
| Lowndes County, MS | 41 km east | 51 nights | 5 nights | 36°F |
| Winston County, MS | 41 km south | 53 nights | 7 nights | 34°F |
| Webster County, MS | 43 km northwest | 70 nights | 11 nights | 32°F |
| Noxubee County, MS | 45 km southeast | 58 nights | 7 nights | 33°F |
Oktibbeha County within MS
Oktibbeha County ranks 27 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 303 ft, Oktibbeha County sits close to 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.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is State Univ, MS, 10 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.