Will Pipes Freeze in Breathitt County, KY? 26 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Breathitt County
In a normal year Breathitt County, KY gets 26 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 42% 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 | 110 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 26 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 6 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 26 nights of risk to 6 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 10/24, last around 04/19. For 20°F: 11/29 to 03/10.
How cold Breathitt County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°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: 6 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 26°F | 32°F | 41°F | 51°F | 60°F | 64°F | 63°F | 56°F | 43°F | 33°F | 27°F |
Breathitt County next to its neighbours
Owsley County, KY, 35 km west, gets 36 nights below 20°F to Breathitt County's 26 nights. Magoffin County, KY, 30 km northeast, gets 22 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breathitt County, KY | - | 110 nights | 26 nights | 23°F |
| Wolfe County, KY | 30 km northwest | 96 nights | 26 nights | 25°F |
| Magoffin County, KY | 30 km northeast | 112 nights | 22 nights | 23°F |
| Perry County, KY | 32 km south | 104 nights | 23 nights | 25°F |
| Owsley County, KY | 35 km west | 118 nights | 36 nights | 24°F |
| Lee County, KY | 37 km west | 98 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Knott County, KY | 37 km southeast | 99 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
Breathitt County within KY
Breathitt County ranks 83 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 880 ft, Breathitt County sits 84 ft above 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 Quicksand, KY, 3 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. How a county figure is built from stations: how the numbers are made.