Will Pipes Freeze in Clay County, WV? 35 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Clay County
In a normal year Clay County, WV gets 35 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 51% 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 | 121 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 35 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 35 nights of risk to 9 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 04/21. For 20°F: 11/30 to 03/13.
How cold Clay County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, December: 9 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 24°F | 30°F | 39°F | 50°F | 59°F | 64°F | 62°F | 56°F | 43°F | 32°F | 27°F |
Clay County next to its neighbours
Nicholas County, WV, 31 km southeast, gets 44 nights below 20°F to Clay County's 35 nights. Braxton County, WV, 40 km northeast, gets 34 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, WV | - | 121 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Nicholas County, WV | 31 km southeast | 133 nights | 44 nights | 20°F |
| Roane County, WV | 39 km northwest | 128 nights | 44 nights | 22°F |
| Braxton County, WV | 40 km northeast | 119 nights | 34 nights | 22°F |
| Kanawha County, WV | 41 km west | 100 nights | 26 nights | 25°F |
| Calhoun County, WV | 43 km north | 130 nights | 42 nights | 21°F |
| Fayette County, WV | 48 km south | 118 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
Clay County within WV
Clay County ranks 40 of 55 WV counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Tucker County, WV at 70 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Mingo County, WV: 25 nights, winter lows near 28°F. At 749 ft, Clay County sits 464 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,213 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 Clendenin, WV, 24 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.