Will Pipes Freeze in Tate County, MS? 8 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Tate County
In a normal year Tate County, MS gets 8 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 23% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 64 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 8 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 8 nights of risk to under 1 night. 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 11/04, last around 03/20. For 20°F: 12/16 to 02/15.
How cold Tate County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 33°F; the coldest month, January, averages 31°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January: under 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 34°F | 42°F | 51°F | 60°F | 67°F | 71°F | 70°F | 62°F | 50°F | 40°F | 33°F |
Tate County next to its neighbours
DeSoto County, MS, 25 km north, gets 10 nights below 20°F to Tate County's 8 nights. Quitman County, MS, 54 km southwest, gets 7 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tate County, MS | - | 64 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| DeSoto County, MS | 25 km north | 61 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Panola County, MS | 32 km south | 66 nights | 10 nights | 32°F |
| Tunica County, MS | 39 km west | 53 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Marshall County, MS | 42 km east | 82 nights | 20 nights | 29°F |
| Lafayette County, MS | 53 km southeast | 68 nights | 12 nights | 31°F |
| Quitman County, MS | 54 km southwest | 59 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
Tate County within MS
Tate County ranks 24 of 82 MS counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Tishomingo County, MS at 24 nights, with a 30°F average winter low. The fewest is Harrison County, MS: under 1 night, winter lows near 45°F. At 276 ft, Tate County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 302 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Senatobia, MS, 3 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.