Will Pipes Freeze in Clark County, IN? 25 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Clark County
In a normal year Clark County, IN 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 | 90 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 25 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 7 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 7 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 11/09, last around 03/31. For 20°F: 12/14 to 02/26.
How cold Clark County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, January, averages 25°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: 7 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 28°F | 36°F | 46°F | 56°F | 65°F | 68°F | 67°F | 59°F | 47°F | 36°F | 30°F |
Clark County next to its neighbours
Scott County, IN, 23 km north, gets 36 nights below 20°F to Clark County's 25 nights. Floyd County, IN, 25 km southwest, gets 19 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clark County, IN | - | 90 nights | 25 nights | 25°F |
| Scott County, IN | 23 km north | 113 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Oldham County, KY | 24 km east | 106 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Floyd County, IN | 25 km southwest | 77 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
| Jefferson County, KY | 32 km south | 78 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
| Trimble County, KY | 35 km northeast | 97 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Washington County, IN | 37 km west | 104 nights | 34 nights | 24°F |
Clark County within IN
Clark County ranks 87 of 92 IN counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Steuben County, IN at 63 nights, with a 19°F average winter low. The fewest is Floyd County, IN: 19 nights, winter lows near 29°F. At 504 ft, Clark County sits 255 ft below the state's median county elevation of 759 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 Louisville McAlpine, KY, 23 km away (fair 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.