Will Pipes Freeze in Washington Parish, LA? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Washington Parish
In a normal year Washington Parish, LA gets 2 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 10% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs January to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 31 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 2 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 2 nights of risk to none. 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 11/23, last around 03/02. For 20°F: 01/08 to 01/16.
How cold Washington Parish nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 40°F; the coldest month, January, averages 38°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38°F | 42°F | 48°F | 54°F | 63°F | 69°F | 72°F | 72°F | 67°F | 56°F | 46°F | 41°F |
Washington Parish next to its neighbours
Walthall County, MS, 35 km north, gets 3 nights below 20°F to Washington Parish's 2 nights. Tangipahoa Parish, LA, 43 km southwest, gets 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Parish, LA | - | 31 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| Walthall County, MS | 35 km north | 36 nights | 3 nights | 37°F |
| Tangipahoa Parish, LA | 43 km southwest | 33 nights | 1 night | 39°F |
| Pearl River County, MS | 45 km east | 27 nights | 2 nights | 39°F |
| Marion County, MS | 47 km northeast | 37 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| Pike County, MS | 49 km northwest | 31 nights | 2 nights | 38°F |
| St. Tammany Parish, LA | 50 km south | 24 nights | under 1 night | 41°F |
Washington Parish within LA
Washington Parish ranks 21 of 64 LA counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Claiborne Parish, LA at 5 nights, with a 34°F average winter low. The fewest is Plaquemines Parish, LA: none, winter lows near 49°F. At 258 ft, Washington Parish sits 187 ft above the state's median county elevation of 70 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
Why rare cold catches people out - freezes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Bogalusa, LA, 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.