Will Pipes Freeze in Ripley County, MO? 36 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Ripley County
In a normal year Ripley County, MO gets 36 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 52% 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 | 105 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 36 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 36 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 10/26, last around 04/12. For 20°F: 11/27 to 03/08.
How cold Ripley County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°F; the coldest month, January, averages 25°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: 8 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 28°F | 35°F | 45°F | 55°F | 64°F | 68°F | 67°F | 58°F | 45°F | 35°F | 28°F |
Ripley County next to its neighbours
Carter County, MO, 33 km north, gets 40 nights below 20°F to Ripley County's 36 nights. Randolph County, AR, 37 km south, gets 21 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ripley County, MO | - | 105 nights | 36 nights | 25°F |
| Carter County, MO | 33 km north | 115 nights | 40 nights | 22°F |
| Randolph County, AR | 37 km south | 85 nights | 21 nights | 26°F |
| Butler County, MO | 43 km east | 83 nights | 19 nights | 26°F |
| Oregon County, MO | 47 km west | 110 nights | 42 nights | 22°F |
| Clay County, AR | 51 km southeast | 71 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Wayne County, MO | 63 km northeast | 96 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
Ripley County within MO
Ripley County ranks 74 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 474 ft, Ripley County sits 368 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Doniphan, MO, 7 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.