Will Pipes Freeze in Kodiak Island Borough, AK? 36 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Kodiak Island Borough
In a normal year Kodiak Island Borough, AK gets 36 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 52% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs November to April, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 150 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 36 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 7 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 36 nights of risk to 7 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 10/03, last around 05/05. For 20°F: 11/19 to 03/25.
How cold Kodiak Island Borough nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°F overnight. 9 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, March, December: 7 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 26°F | 26°F | 32°F | 38°F | 44°F | 49°F | 48°F | 43°F | 35°F | 29°F | 25°F |
Kodiak Island Borough next to its neighbours
Lake and Peninsula Borough, AK, 154 km west, gets 99 nights below 20°F to Kodiak Island Borough's 36 nights. Chugach Census Area, AK, 538 km northeast, gets 32 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kodiak Island Borough, AK | - | 150 nights | 36 nights | 24°F |
| Lake and Peninsula Borough, AK | 154 km west | 190 nights | 99 nights | 10°F |
| Bristol Bay Borough, AK | 213 km northwest | 192 nights | 104 nights | 10°F |
| Kenai Peninsula Borough, AK | 310 km north | 194 nights | 102 nights | 10°F |
| Anchorage Municipality, AK | 466 km northeast | 203 nights | 104 nights | 12°F |
| Bethel Census Area, AK | 503 km northwest | 214 nights | 138 nights | 1°F |
| Chugach Census Area, AK | 538 km northeast | 129 nights | 32 nights | 25°F |
Kodiak Island Borough within AK
Kodiak Island Borough ranks 20 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. The fewest is Ketchikan Gateway Borough, AK: 10 nights, winter lows near 32°F. At 55 ft, Kodiak Island Borough sits 767 ft below the state's median county elevation of 822 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 Kodiak Airport, AK, 85 km away (distant 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.