Will Pipes Freeze in Grant County, KY? 28 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Grant County
In a normal year Grant County, KY gets 28 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 44% 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 | 94 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 28 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 7 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 28 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 10/29, last around 04/11. For 20°F: 12/02 to 03/10.
How cold Grant County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°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 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 27°F | 35°F | 45°F | 55°F | 62°F | 66°F | 65°F | 58°F | 47°F | 37°F | 29°F |
Grant County next to its neighbours
Gallatin County, KY, 24 km northwest, gets 39 nights below 20°F to Grant County's 28 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant County, KY | - | 94 nights | 28 nights | 25°F |
| Gallatin County, KY | 24 km northwest | 114 nights | 39 nights | 21°F |
| Pendleton County, KY | 24 km east | 100 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Owen County, KY | 25 km southwest | 101 nights | 32 nights | 23°F |
| Kenton County, KY | 32 km north | 102 nights | 31 nights | 23°F |
| Harrison County, KY | 34 km southeast | 107 nights | 33 nights | 23°F |
| Boone County, KY | 36 km north | 101 nights | 30 nights | 23°F |
Grant County within KY
Grant County ranks 68 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 828 ft, Grant County sits close to 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 Williamstown, KY, 6 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.