Will Pipes Freeze in Allen County, KS? 36 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Allen County
In a normal year Allen County, KS gets 36 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 52% 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 | 107 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 36 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 11 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 36 nights of risk to 11 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 04/08. For 20°F: 11/23 to 03/08.
How cold Allen County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 21°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, March, December: 11 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21°F | 25°F | 34°F | 44°F | 55°F | 65°F | 69°F | 67°F | 58°F | 46°F | 35°F | 25°F |
Allen County next to its neighbours
Anderson County, KS, 37 km north, gets 38 nights below 20°F to Allen County's 36 nights. Neosho County, KS, 36 km south, gets 33 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen County, KS | - | 107 nights | 36 nights | 21°F |
| Neosho County, KS | 36 km south | 102 nights | 33 nights | 22°F |
| Anderson County, KS | 37 km north | 108 nights | 38 nights | 20°F |
| Bourbon County, KS | 40 km east | 107 nights | 37 nights | 21°F |
| Woodson County, KS | 40 km west | 108 nights | 37 nights | 21°F |
| Wilson County, KS | 53 km southwest | 109 nights | 36 nights | 22°F |
| Coffey County, KS | 54 km northwest | 115 nights | 43 nights | 19°F |
Allen County within KS
Allen County ranks 96 of 105 KS counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Rawlins County, KS at 83 nights, with a 16°F average winter low. The fewest is Cherokee County, KS: 27 nights, winter lows near 26°F. At 1,002 ft, Allen County sits 524 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,526 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 Iola (1 mi W), KS, 12 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.