Humphreys County, Mississippi · Belzoni
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Pipes freeze in Humphreys County on about 2 nights a year, mostly midwinter. Older homes, 24% of the stock here, are most at risk.
Heavy rain days of an inch or more come about 15.8 times a year here, most often in February. A sump pump that hasn't run since last season is a common weak point.
Backups often follow heavy rain, which Humphreys County gets about 15.8 days a year, when storm water overloads sewer mains and pushes up through the lowest drain in the house.
Roof leaks here come from summer downpours and, with about 24 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
19% of occupied homes in Humphreys County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Mississippi county median of 15.1%.
About 137 nights a year here stay at 65°F or warmer, so basements and crawl spaces can grow mold even without a leak.
Local risk profile
With 3,509 homes and around 7,395 residents, Humphreys County is 419 square miles of western Mississippi. The county seat is Belzoni, and Isola, Silver City and Louise round out the largest towns. The county's median home was built in 1977.
57/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Elevated Humphreys County ranks 23 of 82 Mississippi counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where Humphreys County ranks highest compared with other Mississippi counties.
For frozen pipes, Humphreys County is a typical Mississippi county, which is still plenty. From 2015–2024 it averaged 2 nights a year at 20°F or colder, the range where pipes in exterior walls, crawl spaces and unheated garages freeze, and 26 nights at or below 32°F. That ranks 47th of 82 counties.
On January 17, 2024 the low fell to about 10°F, and in the stretch ending February 2021 the county went 3 days in a row below freezing. Leaks from split pipes typically appear the day the thaw arrives.
Expect the hardest freezes in January, inside a season that runs midwinter. That's when an outdoor spigot left connected to a hose, or a pipe in a crawl space, is most likely to split.
On average the first fall freeze arrives around Nov 18 and the last spring freeze around Feb 22.
Rainfall is about average for Mississippi. Of roughly 55.9 inches of yearly precipitation, the damage comes from the 15.8 days a year with an inch or more, ranked 52nd of 82. February, March and April see the most. The single wettest day in the record: 4.13 inches, November 18, 2015. Multi-day storms matter most for basements; the wettest three days on record here totaled 6.64 inches (through April 11, 2024).
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 24 days a year. Each cycle melts and refreezes water at roof edges and in foundation cracks, which is how ice dams and basement seepage get started.
Housing
56% of homes in Humphreys County predate 1980, above the Mississippi county median of 45.1%, which ranks 9th of Mississippi's 82 counties.
24% were built before 1960. Homes from that era often still have galvanized steel supply pipe, which rusts from the inside until it pinholes, and cast iron drains that crack with age. Slow leaks behind walls are a common start to water damage in these houses.
The 1980s and 1990s account for 23% of the county's homes. If yours is from those decades, look under the sinks and at the water heater for gray plastic pipe stamped PB, which is polybutylene and leak-prone.
Here 10% of housing is manufactured homes. Check the skirting and the heat tape on the main water line every fall, because that one exposed line is what freezes.
Renters occupy 38% of homes. If you rent, the building is usually the landlord's to repair, but your belongings are only covered by renters insurance.
Beyond water
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 137 times a year here, close to the Mississippi county median of 125. Mold grows when indoor humidity stays above about 60%, the EPA's ceiling. A basement dehumidifier set to 50% and drying anything wet within 24 to 48 hours prevents most problems.
Mold remediation: what to expectHeating fuel matters for fire risk. In Humphreys County it's 38% utility gas, 43% electric, 18% propane and under 1% wood. Propane heat is more common here than the state median. Have chimneys swept and fuel-burning appliances serviced each fall, and keep three feet clear around stoves and space heaters.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across Humphreys County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Holmes, Leflore, Sunflower and Washington get more pipe-freeze nights than Humphreys. Washington County has the oldest housing nearby, with 66% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | Humphreys | Mississippi median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 24% | 15% | 6 of 82 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 56% | 45% | 9 of 82 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 21% | 23% | 55 of 82 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 9.7% | 20% | 70 of 82 |
| Vacant homes | 17% | 17% | 38 of 82 |
| Wood or propane heat | 19% | 15% | 31 of 82 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 2/yr | 3/yr | 47 of 82 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 16/yr | 16/yr | 52 of 82 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 24/yr | 32/yr | 59 of 82 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 137/yr | 125/yr | 14 of 82 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Mississippi county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in Humphreys County: freezing from midwinter, heavy rain in February, March and April.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 5-year estimates (2020-2024); weather from NOAA nClimGrid-Daily county averages (EpiNOAA), 2015–2024, averaged across the county; county boundaries from Census TIGER. Reviewed 2026-10-21. Methodology