Will Pipes Freeze in Rapides Parish, LA? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Rapides Parish
In a normal year Rapides Parish, LA 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 8% 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 | 30 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 11/22, last around 03/03. For 20°F: 01/04 to 01/17.
How cold Rapides Parish nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 40°F; the coldest month, January, averages 39°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39°F | 42°F | 49°F | 55°F | 64°F | 71°F | 73°F | 73°F | 67°F | 56°F | 46°F | 40°F |
Rapides Parish next to its neighbours
LaSalle Parish, LA, 65 km northeast, gets 3 nights below 20°F to Rapides Parish's 2 nights. Avoyelles Parish, LA, 54 km east, gets under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapides Parish, LA | - | 30 nights | 2 nights | 39°F |
| Grant Parish, LA | 45 km north | 22 nights | 1 night | 39°F |
| Avoyelles Parish, LA | 54 km east | 23 nights | under 1 night | 39°F |
| Evangeline Parish, LA | 54 km south | 19 nights | under 1 night | 40°F |
| Vernon Parish, LA | 63 km west | 34 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| LaSalle Parish, LA | 65 km northeast | 41 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Allen Parish, LA | 66 km southwest | 20 nights | under 1 night | 39°F |
Rapides Parish within LA
Rapides Parish ranks 29 of 64 LA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Claiborne Parish, LA at 5 nights, with a 34°F average winter low. The fewest is Plaquemines Parish, LA: none, winter lows near 49°F. At 165 ft, Rapides Parish sits 94 ft above the state's median county elevation of 70 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.
Why rare cold catches people out - freezes 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 Alexandria (5 mi SSE), LA, 10 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.