Will Pipes Freeze in Ste. Genevieve County, MO? 34 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Ste. Genevieve County
In a normal year Ste. Genevieve County, MO gets 34 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 50% 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 | 34 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 34 nights of risk to 9 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 10/30, last around 04/08. For 20°F: 12/04 to 03/04.
How cold Ste. Genevieve County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°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: 9 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 26°F | 34°F | 43°F | 54°F | 63°F | 67°F | 65°F | 56°F | 45°F | 35°F | 27°F |
Ste. Genevieve County next to its neighbours
St. Francois County, MO, 29 km west, gets 35 nights below 20°F to Ste. Genevieve County's 34 nights. Randolph County, IL, 35 km northeast, gets 33 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ste. Genevieve County, MO | - | 105 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| St. Francois County, MO | 29 km west | 105 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Randolph County, IL | 35 km northeast | 106 nights | 33 nights | 22°F |
| Perry County, MO | 37 km southeast | 111 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| Monroe County, IL | 44 km north | 102 nights | 33 nights | 23°F |
| Madison County, MO | 48 km south | 111 nights | 40 nights | 22°F |
| Jefferson County, MO | 53 km northwest | 104 nights | 34 nights | 22°F |
Ste. Genevieve County within MO
Ste. Genevieve County ranks 82 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 604 ft, Ste. Genevieve County sits 238 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.
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 Kaskaskia Rvr Navigation Lock, IL, 22 km away (fair 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.