Will Pipes Freeze in Jefferson County, IN? 31 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Jefferson County
In a normal year Jefferson County, IN gets 31 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 47% 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 | 99 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 31 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 31 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 10/31, last around 04/11. For 20°F: 12/03 to 03/09.
How cold Jefferson County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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: 9 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 25°F | 33°F | 43°F | 54°F | 62°F | 66°F | 64°F | 57°F | 45°F | 35°F | 28°F |
Jefferson County next to its neighbours
Jennings County, IN, 29 km northwest, gets 33 nights below 20°F to Jefferson County's 31 nights. Trimble County, KY, 20 km southeast, gets 29 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, IN | - | 99 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
| Trimble County, KY | 20 km southeast | 97 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Jennings County, IN | 29 km northwest | 102 nights | 33 nights | 23°F |
| Scott County, IN | 29 km southwest | 113 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Carroll County, KY | 30 km southeast | 98 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Switzerland County, IN | 36 km east | 106 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Ripley County, IN | 38 km northeast | 120 nights | 43 nights | 21°F |
Jefferson County within IN
Jefferson County ranks 83 of 92 IN counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Steuben County, IN at 63 nights, with a 19°F average winter low. The fewest is Floyd County, IN: 19 nights, winter lows near 29°F. At 819 ft, Jefferson County sits 59 ft above the state's median county elevation of 759 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 Madison Sewage Plt, IN, 7 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.