Will Pipes Freeze in Calloway County, KY? 15 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Calloway County
In a normal year Calloway County, KY gets 15 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 32% 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 | 71 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 15 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 3 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 15 nights of risk to 3 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 11/01, last around 04/05. For 20°F: 12/03 to 02/28.
How cold Calloway County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 30°F; the coldest month, January, averages 27°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: 3 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 31°F | 38°F | 48°F | 57°F | 65°F | 69°F | 67°F | 60°F | 48°F | 38°F | 31°F |
Calloway County next to its neighbours
Marshall County, KY, 29 km north, gets 33 nights below 20°F to Calloway County's 15 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calloway County, KY | - | 71 nights | 15 nights | 27°F |
| Marshall County, KY | 29 km north | 101 nights | 33 nights | 24°F |
| Henry County, TN | 33 km south | 86 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
| Graves County, KY | 35 km west | 87 nights | 24 nights | 26°F |
| Trigg County, KY | 42 km northeast | 74 nights | 19 nights | 28°F |
| Stewart County, TN | 45 km southeast | 79 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
| Lyon County, KY | 48 km north | 59 nights | 15 nights | 30°F |
Calloway County within KY
Calloway County ranks 119 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 532 ft, Calloway County sits 265 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.
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 Murray, KY, 3 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.