Will Pipes Freeze in Pike County, MS? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Pike County
In a normal year Pike County, MS gets 2 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 9% 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 | 31 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 2 nights |
| 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 2 nights 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 11/18, last around 03/11. For 20°F: 01/05 to 01/22.
How cold Pike County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 40°F; the coldest month, January, averages 38°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38°F | 42°F | 48°F | 54°F | 62°F | 69°F | 71°F | 71°F | 67°F | 56°F | 45°F | 41°F |
Pike County next to its neighbours
Walthall County, MS, 28 km east, gets 3 nights below 20°F to Pike County's 2 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike County, MS | - | 31 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| Walthall County, MS | 28 km east | 36 nights | 3 nights | 37°F |
| Amite County, MS | 38 km west | 46 nights | 4 nights | 37°F |
| Lincoln County, MS | 40 km north | 47 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Washington Parish, LA | 49 km southeast | 31 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| St. Helena Parish, LA | 49 km southwest | 34 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| Lawrence County, MS | 50 km northeast | 45 nights | 4 nights | 36°F |
Pike County within MS
Pike County ranks 76 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 385 ft, Pike County sits 83 ft above the state's median county elevation of 302 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 McComb/pike Co/john E Lewis Airport, MS, 7 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.