Will Pipes Freeze in Scott County, MO? 20 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Scott County
In a normal year Scott County, MO gets 20 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 36% 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 | 84 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 20 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 20 nights of risk to 5 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 11/06, last around 03/26. For 20°F: 12/18 to 02/22.
How cold Scott County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, January, averages 27°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: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 30°F | 38°F | 47°F | 58°F | 67°F | 70°F | 67°F | 59°F | 47°F | 37°F | 30°F |
Scott County next to its neighbours
Alexander County, IL, 25 km northeast, gets 21 nights below 20°F to Scott County's 20 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott County, MO | - | 84 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
| Alexander County, IL | 25 km northeast | 84 nights | 21 nights | 26°F |
| Mississippi County, MO | 35 km southeast | 81 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
| Cape Girardeau County, MO | 39 km north | 91 nights | 25 nights | 24°F |
| Stoddard County, MO | 40 km southwest | 89 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
| Pulaski County, IL | 43 km northeast | 81 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
| Ballard County, KY | 49 km east | 83 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
Scott County within MO
Scott County ranks 110 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 325 ft, Scott County sits 516 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 Sikeston Pwr Station, MO, 20 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. How a county figure is built from stations: how the numbers are made.