Will Pipes Freeze in Harlan County, KY? 30 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Harlan County
In a normal year Harlan County, KY gets 30 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 46% 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 | 109 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 30 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 6 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 30 nights of risk to 6 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 10/30, last around 04/15. For 20°F: 12/01 to 03/05.
How cold Harlan 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: 6 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 27°F | 33°F | 41°F | 51°F | 60°F | 64°F | 63°F | 56°F | 44°F | 33°F | 28°F |
Harlan County next to its neighbours
Lee County, VA, 19 km southeast, gets 34 nights below 20°F to Harlan County's 30 nights. Leslie County, KY, 29 km northwest, gets 24 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlan County, KY | - | 109 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
| Lee County, VA | 19 km southeast | 114 nights | 34 nights | 24°F |
| Leslie County, KY | 29 km northwest | 103 nights | 24 nights | 25°F |
| Hancock County, TN | 38 km south | 104 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Perry County, KY | 42 km north | 104 nights | 23 nights | 25°F |
| Letcher County, KY | 43 km northeast | 110 nights | 25 nights | 24°F |
| Bell County, KY | 43 km west | 110 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
Harlan County within KY
Harlan County ranks 52 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 1,900 ft, Harlan County sits 1,103 ft above 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 Baxter, KY, 10 km away (fair 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.