Will Pipes Freeze in Butler County, KY? 25 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Butler County
In a normal year Butler County, KY gets 25 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 41% 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 | 94 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 25 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 25 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 10/20, last around 04/15. For 20°F: 11/23 to 03/08.
How cold Butler County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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: 6 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 27°F | 35°F | 44°F | 54°F | 62°F | 66°F | 64°F | 57°F | 44°F | 35°F | 28°F |
Butler County next to its neighbours
Ohio County, KY, 33 km northwest, gets 28 nights below 20°F to Butler County's 25 nights. Warren County, KY, 33 km southeast, gets 19 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler County, KY | - | 94 nights | 25 nights | 24°F |
| Warren County, KY | 33 km southeast | 82 nights | 19 nights | 28°F |
| Ohio County, KY | 33 km northwest | 94 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
| Muhlenberg County, KY | 40 km west | 93 nights | 26 nights | 24°F |
| Grayson County, KY | 41 km northeast | 111 nights | 39 nights | 22°F |
| Edmonson County, KY | 41 km east | 92 nights | 27 nights | 26°F |
| Logan County, KY | 42 km southwest | 91 nights | 24 nights | 26°F |
Butler County within KY
Butler County ranks 87 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 405 ft, Butler County sits 392 ft below 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.
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 Rochester Ferry, KY, 19 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.