Will Pipes Freeze in Fayette County, WV? 37 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Fayette County
In a normal year Fayette County, WV gets 37 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 53% 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 | 118 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 37 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 10 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 37 nights of risk to 10 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 10/19, last around 04/21. For 20°F: 11/25 to 03/17.
How cold Fayette 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, March, December: 10 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 24°F | 31°F | 40°F | 49°F | 57°F | 61°F | 60°F | 54°F | 42°F | 33°F | 27°F |
Fayette County next to its neighbours
Raleigh County, WV, 34 km southwest, gets 47 nights below 20°F to Fayette County's 37 nights. Summers County, WV, 46 km southeast, gets 31 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County, WV | - | 118 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
| Raleigh County, WV | 34 km southwest | 133 nights | 47 nights | 20°F |
| Nicholas County, WV | 38 km northeast | 133 nights | 44 nights | 20°F |
| Summers County, WV | 46 km southeast | 113 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
| Clay County, WV | 48 km north | 121 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
| Kanawha County, WV | 51 km northwest | 100 nights | 26 nights | 25°F |
| Boone County, WV | 55 km west | 116 nights | 33 nights | 24°F |
Fayette County within WV
Fayette County ranks 36 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 1,910 ft, Fayette County sits 698 ft above 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Oak Hill, WV, 9 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.