Will Pipes Freeze in Wayne County, IL? 32 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Wayne County
In a normal year Wayne County, IL gets 32 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 48% 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 | 100 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 32 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 10 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 32 nights of risk to 10 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 10/26, last around 04/07. For 20°F: 11/28 to 03/05.
How cold Wayne County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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: 10 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 27°F | 36°F | 46°F | 56°F | 64°F | 67°F | 65°F | 58°F | 47°F | 36°F | 28°F |
Wayne County next to its neighbours
Clay County, IL, 35 km north, gets 35 nights below 20°F to Wayne County's 32 nights. Edwards County, IL, 34 km east, gets 29 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County, IL | - | 100 nights | 32 nights | 24°F |
| Edwards County, IL | 34 km east | 92 nights | 29 nights | 23°F |
| Clay County, IL | 35 km north | 105 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Hamilton County, IL | 40 km south | 110 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
| Richland County, IL | 43 km northeast | 105 nights | 36 nights | 21°F |
| White County, IL | 44 km southeast | 103 nights | 32 nights | 21°F |
| Jefferson County, IL | 45 km west | 108 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
Wayne County within IL
Wayne County ranks 85 of 102 IL counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Jo Daviess County, IL at 76 nights, with a 14°F average winter low. The fewest is Alexander County, IL: 21 nights, winter lows near 29°F. At 467 ft, Wayne County sits 165 ft below the state's median county elevation of 632 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Fairfield Radio Wfiw, IL, 11 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.