Will Pipes Freeze in Barren County, KY? 21 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Barren County
In a normal year Barren County, KY gets 21 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 37% 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 | 81 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 21 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 21 nights of risk to 5 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 10/27, last around 04/09. For 20°F: 12/03 to 03/01.
How cold Barren County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°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: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 31°F | 39°F | 46°F | 56°F | 64°F | 68°F | 66°F | 59°F | 48°F | 38°F | 32°F |
Barren County next to its neighbours
Metcalfe County, KY, 27 km east, gets 26 nights below 20°F to Barren County's 21 nights. Warren County, KY, 44 km west, gets 19 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barren County, KY | - | 81 nights | 21 nights | 29°F |
| Metcalfe County, KY | 27 km east | 88 nights | 26 nights | 26°F |
| Allen County, KY | 33 km southwest | 79 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Monroe County, KY | 34 km southeast | 91 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Hart County, KY | 38 km north | 101 nights | 31 nights | 25°F |
| Edmonson County, KY | 39 km northwest | 92 nights | 27 nights | 26°F |
| Warren County, KY | 44 km west | 82 nights | 19 nights | 28°F |
Barren County within KY
Barren County ranks 111 of 120 KY counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Shelby County, KY at 55 nights, with a 22°F average winter low. The fewest is Lyon County, KY: 15 nights, winter lows near 32°F. At 764 ft, Barren County sits close to the state's median county elevation of 797 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 Glasgow, KY, 5 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. What a "fair" or "distant" station match means is in the method guide.