Will Pipes Freeze in Comanche County, KS? 38 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Comanche County
In a normal year Comanche County, KS gets 38 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 54% 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 | 108 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 38 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 38 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 10/27, last around 04/13. For 20°F: 11/23 to 03/11.
How cold Comanche County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°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, March, December: 9 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 25°F | 34°F | 43°F | 54°F | 64°F | 69°F | 67°F | 59°F | 46°F | 33°F | 24°F |
Comanche County next to its neighbours
Kiowa County, KS, 42 km north, gets 49 nights below 20°F to Comanche County's 38 nights. Harper County, OK, 56 km southwest, gets 34 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comanche County, KS | - | 108 nights | 38 nights | 22°F |
| Kiowa County, KS | 42 km north | 129 nights | 49 nights | 19°F |
| Clark County, KS | 50 km west | 136 nights | 60 nights | 19°F |
| Barber County, KS | 50 km east | 116 nights | 41 nights | 21°F |
| Harper County, OK | 56 km southwest | 104 nights | 34 nights | 22°F |
| Woods County, OK | 61 km southeast | 108 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Pratt County, KS | 69 km northeast | 122 nights | 43 nights | 19°F |
Comanche County within KS
Comanche County ranks 88 of 105 KS counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Rawlins County, KS at 83 nights, with a 16°F average winter low. The fewest is Cherokee County, KS: 27 nights, winter lows near 26°F. At 1,977 ft, Comanche County sits 451 ft above the state's median county elevation of 1,526 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 Coldwater, KS, 12 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.