Will Pipes Freeze in Perry County, MO? 38 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Perry County
In a normal year Perry County, MO gets 38 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 54% 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 | 111 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 38 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 10 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 38 nights of risk to 10 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 10/20, last around 04/19. For 20°F: 11/20 to 03/13.
How cold Perry County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°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: 10 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 25°F | 33°F | 43°F | 53°F | 63°F | 67°F | 64°F | 55°F | 44°F | 33°F | 26°F |
Perry County next to its neighbours
Madison County, MO, 54 km southwest, gets 40 nights below 20°F to Perry County's 38 nights. Ste. Genevieve County, MO, 37 km northwest, gets 34 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry County, MO | - | 111 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| Ste. Genevieve County, MO | 37 km northwest | 105 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Cape Girardeau County, MO | 38 km south | 91 nights | 25 nights | 24°F |
| Jackson County, IL | 38 km east | 96 nights | 27 nights | 24°F |
| Randolph County, IL | 38 km north | 106 nights | 33 nights | 22°F |
| Bollinger County, MO | 48 km southwest | 95 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
| Madison County, MO | 54 km southwest | 111 nights | 40 nights | 22°F |
Perry County within MO
Perry County ranks 65 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 531 ft, Perry County sits 311 ft below 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.
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 Perryville Water Plant, MO, 11 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.