Will Pipes Freeze in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Ketchikan Gateway Borough
In a normal year Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK gets 10 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 26% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. 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 | 75 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 10 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 10 nights of risk to 2 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 10/26, last around 04/20. For 20°F: 12/30 to 02/12.
How cold Ketchikan Gateway Borough nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 32°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: 2 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 32°F | 33°F | 37°F | 44°F | 49°F | 53°F | 53°F | 49°F | 42°F | 36°F | 33°F |
Ketchikan Gateway Borough next to its neighbours
Wrangell City and Borough, AK, 100 km northwest, gets 14 nights below 20°F to Ketchikan Gateway Borough's 10 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK | - | 75 nights | 10 nights | 32°F |
| Wrangell City and Borough, AK | 100 km northwest | 92 nights | 14 nights | 29°F |
| Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area, AK | 132 km west | 91 nights | 12 nights | 31°F |
| Petersburg Borough, AK | 219 km northwest | 99 nights | 20 nights | 28°F |
| Sitka City and Borough, AK | 326 km northwest | 96 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Juneau City and Borough, AK | 375 km northwest | 144 nights | 41 nights | 21°F |
| Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, AK | 438 km northwest | 154 nights | 37 nights | 24°F |
Ketchikan Gateway Borough within AK
Ketchikan Gateway Borough ranks 26 of 26 AK counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, AK at 192 nights, with a -19°F average winter low. At 484 ft, Ketchikan Gateway Borough sits 338 ft below the state's median county elevation of 822 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Ketchikan (10 mi N), AK, 45 km away (fair 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.