Will Pipes Freeze in Ozark County, MO? 32 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Ozark County
In a normal year Ozark County, MO gets 32 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 48% 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 | 99 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 32 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 8 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 32 nights of risk to 8 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 10/25, last around 04/14. For 20°F: 11/25 to 03/11.
How cold Ozark County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°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, December: 8 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 27°F | 35°F | 44°F | 54°F | 62°F | 66°F | 65°F | 57°F | 45°F | 35°F | 27°F |
Ozark County next to its neighbours
Douglas County, MO, 33 km north, gets 35 nights below 20°F to Ozark County's 32 nights. Baxter County, AR, 43 km south, gets 21 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ozark County, MO | - | 99 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
| Douglas County, MO | 33 km north | 103 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Baxter County, AR | 43 km south | 84 nights | 21 nights | 26°F |
| Marion County, AR | 47 km southwest | 86 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
| Taney County, MO | 52 km west | 103 nights | 26 nights | 24°F |
| Howell County, MO | 53 km east | 104 nights | 33 nights | 23°F |
| Fulton County, AR | 64 km southeast | 94 nights | 28 nights | 25°F |
Ozark County within MO
Ozark County ranks 91 of 115 MO counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Caldwell County, MO at 65 nights, with a 19°F average winter low. The fewest is Pemiscot County, MO: 14 nights, winter lows near 31°F. At 1,136 ft, Ozark County sits 295 ft above the state's median county elevation of 842 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Gentryville, MO, 26 km away (fair 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.