Will Pipes Freeze in Knott County, KY? 23 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Knott County
In a normal year Knott County, KY gets 23 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 39% 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 | 23 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 23 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 10/22, last around 04/21. For 20°F: 11/25 to 03/13.
How cold Knott 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: 5 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26°F | 28°F | 34°F | 43°F | 52°F | 60°F | 65°F | 64°F | 57°F | 45°F | 35°F | 29°F |
Knott County next to its neighbours
Letcher County, KY, 27 km south, gets 25 nights below 20°F to Knott County's 23 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knott County, KY | - | 99 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
| Perry County, KY | 27 km southwest | 104 nights | 23 nights | 25°F |
| Letcher County, KY | 27 km south | 110 nights | 25 nights | 24°F |
| Floyd County, KY | 29 km northeast | 108 nights | 24 nights | 23°F |
| Breathitt County, KY | 37 km northwest | 110 nights | 26 nights | 23°F |
| Magoffin County, KY | 40 km north | 112 nights | 22 nights | 23°F |
| Leslie County, KY | 49 km southwest | 103 nights | 24 nights | 25°F |
Knott County within KY
Knott County ranks 101 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 1,515 ft, Knott County sits 718 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Whitesburg (2 mi SE), KY, 31 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.