McClain County, Oklahoma · Purcell
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McClain County averages 12 nights a year at 20°F or colder, mostly December to February, and 9% of its homes predate 1960.
Basements flood here mostly in May. McClain County averages 11.2 days a year with an inch of rain or more.
Backups often follow heavy rain, which McClain County gets about 11.2 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 61 freeze-thaw days a year, from winter ice dams. Most show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
18% of occupied homes in McClain County heat mainly with wood or propane, above the Oklahoma county median of 12.5%.
About 100 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
McClain County covers 571 square miles of central Oklahoma, with about 45,273 residents and 17,630 homes. Purcell is the county seat; Newcastle, Goldsby and Dibble are the next largest communities. Much of its housing is recent, with a median build year of 1997.
36/100 Water Damage Risk Index: Moderate McClain County ranks 75 of 77 Oklahoma counties. See the statewide ranking and method.The three factors where McClain County ranks highest compared with other Oklahoma counties.
For frozen pipes, McClain County is a typical Oklahoma county, which is still plenty. It averaged 65 freezing nights a year over 2015–2024, 12 of them at 20°F or colder, cold enough for pipes in outside walls and crawl spaces to freeze. Among 77 Oklahoma counties that's 41st.
On February 16, 2021 the low fell to about -7°F, and in the stretch ending February 2021 the county went 10 days in a row below freezing. Leaks from split pipes typically appear the day the thaw arrives.
Most freezing nights fall from December to February, peaking in January. Disconnect garden hoses and shut off outdoor spigots before the first hard frost, and keep the heat at 55°F or higher if you'll be away.
On average the first fall freeze arrives around Nov 6 and the last spring freeze around Mar 26.
Rainfall is about average for Oklahoma. The county gets about 39.4 inches of rain and melted snow a year, with 11.2 days of an inch or more (36th of 77). Those downpours cluster in May, June and October, when sump pumps and gutters are tested hardest. The wettest day on record brought 3.9 inches on September 22, 2018. Multi-day storms matter most for basements; the wettest three days on record here totaled 5.8 inches (through November 5, 2024).
The temperature crosses 32°F in both directions on roughly 61 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
Oklahoma's 77 counties range widely in housing age; McClain ranks 77th, with 27% of its homes built before 1980.
47% of homes were built in 2000 or later, more than in most of Oklahoma. Newer plumbing rarely corrodes, so damage here tends to come from appliance supply lines, water heaters, sump pumps and storms.
The 1980s and 1990s account for 26% 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.
10% of homes are manufactured or mobile homes, below the Oklahoma county median of 12.3%. Their water lines run under the floor behind the skirting, so a torn skirt or failed heat tape freezes them faster than lines in a site-built house.
Beyond water
Summer nights that don't drop below 65°F, a good marker of humid air, come about 100 times a year here, close to the Oklahoma county median of 98. The EPA recommends keeping indoor humidity below 60%, ideally 30 to 50%. Basements can pass 60% on their own in summer, so a dehumidifier matters even without a leak, and anything wet should be dried within 24 to 48 hours.
Mold remediation: what to expectMain heating fuel in McClain County's occupied homes: 38% utility gas, 43% electric, 17% propane and 1% wood. Propane heat is above the Oklahoma norm. Annual chimney and vent inspection, which the NFPA recommends, is one of the most effective fire-prevention habits for these homes.
Fire and smoke cleanup: first stepsCoverage
Calls connect to restoration companies that work across McClain County. The largest communities by population:
Population from ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Townships and unincorporated areas are covered too.
Nearby
Pottawatomie gets more pipe-freeze nights than McClain. Garvin County has the oldest housing nearby, with 65% of homes built before 1980.
By the numbers
| Factor | McClain | Oklahoma median | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1960 | 9.3% | 24% | 73 of 77 |
| Homes built before 1980 | 27% | 55% | 77 of 77 |
| Homes built 2000 or later | 47% | 22% | 2 of 77 |
| Manufactured or mobile homes | 10% | 12% | 54 of 77 |
| Vacant homes | 6.9% | 17% | 74 of 77 |
| Wood or propane heat | 18% | 13% | 21 of 77 |
| Nights at 20°F or colder | 12/yr | 13/yr | 41 of 77 |
| Days with 1 inch+ of rain | 11/yr | 11/yr | 36 of 77 |
| Freeze-thaw days | 61/yr | 65/yr | 46 of 77 |
| Muggy nights (65°F+) | 100/yr | 98/yr | 31 of 77 |
Rank 1 is the highest value. Bars run from the lowest to the highest Oklahoma county; the tick marks the median; orange means higher water damage risk than the median, green means lower.
Questions
Peak risk months in McClain County: freezing from December to February, heavy rain in May, June and October.
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