Will Pipes Freeze in Polk County, MO? 35 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Polk County
In a normal year Polk County, MO gets 35 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 51% 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 | 108 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 35 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 35 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 10/23, last around 04/14. For 20°F: 11/23 to 03/09.
How cold Polk 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, March, 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 | 34°F | 44°F | 54°F | 63°F | 67°F | 65°F | 57°F | 45°F | 34°F | 26°F |
Polk County next to its neighbours
Dallas County, MO, 33 km east, gets 39 nights below 20°F to Polk County's 35 nights. Greene County, MO, 40 km south, gets 28 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County, MO | - | 108 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Dallas County, MO | 33 km east | 108 nights | 39 nights | 20°F |
| Hickory County, MO | 36 km north | 105 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Greene County, MO | 40 km south | 94 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
| Cedar County, MO | 42 km west | 94 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
| Dade County, MO | 45 km southwest | 102 nights | 33 nights | 22°F |
| St. Clair County, MO | 58 km northwest | 98 nights | 31 nights | 21°F |
Polk County within MO
Polk County ranks 80 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 1,036 ft, Polk County sits 195 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 Bolivar (1 mi NE), MO, 1 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.