Will Pipes Freeze in Bourbon County, KS? 37 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Bourbon County
In a normal year Bourbon County, KS gets 37 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 53% 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 | 37 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 12 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 37 nights of risk to 12 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 10/28, last around 04/05. For 20°F: 11/29 to 03/06.
How cold Bourbon 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: 12 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 | 26°F |
Bourbon County next to its neighbours
Linn County, KS, 40 km north, gets 47 nights below 20°F to Bourbon County's 37 nights. Crawford County, KS, 39 km south, gets 31 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bourbon County, KS | - | 107 nights | 37 nights | 21°F |
| Crawford County, KS | 39 km south | 97 nights | 31 nights | 22°F |
| Allen County, KS | 40 km west | 107 nights | 36 nights | 21°F |
| Linn County, KS | 40 km north | 120 nights | 47 nights | 19°F |
| Vernon County, MO | 45 km east | 97 nights | 32 nights | 22°F |
| Neosho County, KS | 52 km southwest | 102 nights | 33 nights | 22°F |
| Anderson County, KS | 56 km northwest | 108 nights | 38 nights | 20°F |
Bourbon County within KS
Bourbon County ranks 93 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 905 ft, Bourbon County sits 621 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.
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 Fort Scott, KS, 14 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.