Will Pipes Freeze in Union County, MS? 14 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Union County
In a normal year Union County, MS gets 14 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 31% 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 | 74 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 14 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 14 nights of risk to 2 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 10/28, last around 04/08. For 20°F: 12/01 to 02/28.
How cold Union County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°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: 2 nights a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 32°F | 40°F | 48°F | 58°F | 66°F | 69°F | 68°F | 61°F | 49°F | 38°F | 33°F |
Union County next to its neighbours
Tippah County, MS, 31 km north, gets 16 nights below 20°F to Union County's 14 nights. Pontotoc County, MS, 29 km south, gets 10 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, MS | - | 74 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Pontotoc County, MS | 29 km south | 61 nights | 10 nights | 32°F |
| Tippah County, MS | 31 km north | 80 nights | 16 nights | 29°F |
| Lee County, MS | 37 km southeast | 57 nights | 8 nights | 33°F |
| Benton County, MS | 40 km northwest | 74 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Prentiss County, MS | 46 km east | 68 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Lafayette County, MS | 47 km west | 68 nights | 12 nights | 31°F |
Union County within MS
Union County ranks 5 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 406 ft, Union County sits 104 ft above the state's median county elevation of 302 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 Hickory Flat, MS, 23 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.