Will Pipes Freeze in Hancock County, KY? 20 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Hancock County
In a normal year Hancock County, KY gets 20 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 36% 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 | 80 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 20 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 20 nights of risk to 5 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 11/07, last around 04/02. For 20°F: 12/11 to 02/25.
How cold Hancock County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, January, averages 26°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: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26°F | 28°F | 36°F | 45°F | 56°F | 64°F | 68°F | 67°F | 60°F | 49°F | 38°F | 30°F |
Hancock County next to its neighbours
Spencer County, IN, 27 km northwest, gets 22 nights below 20°F to Hancock County's 20 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hancock County, KY | - | 80 nights | 20 nights | 26°F |
| Spencer County, IN | 27 km northwest | 85 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Daviess County, KY | 29 km southwest | 87 nights | 24 nights | 25°F |
| Perry County, IN | 30 km northeast | 83 nights | 21 nights | 26°F |
| Breckinridge County, KY | 32 km east | 112 nights | 40 nights | 23°F |
| Ohio County, KY | 41 km south | 94 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
| Warrick County, IN | 51 km northwest | 90 nights | 25 nights | 25°F |
Hancock County within KY
Hancock County ranks 116 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 545 ft, Hancock County sits 252 ft below 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 Cannelton, IN, 10 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.