Will Pipes Freeze in Laurel County, KY? 22 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Laurel County
In a normal year Laurel County, KY gets 22 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 38% 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 | 90 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 22 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 22 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 10/25, last around 04/15. For 20°F: 11/29 to 03/06.
How cold Laurel County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, January, averages 27°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: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 30°F | 36°F | 45°F | 54°F | 62°F | 66°F | 65°F | 58°F | 45°F | 35°F | 30°F |
Laurel County next to its neighbours
Rockcastle County, KY, 33 km northwest, gets 30 nights below 20°F to Laurel County's 22 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laurel County, KY | - | 90 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
| Rockcastle County, KY | 33 km northwest | 100 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
| Jackson County, KY | 33 km north | 104 nights | 31 nights | 25°F |
| Knox County, KY | 34 km southeast | 109 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
| Clay County, KY | 36 km east | 112 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Whitley County, KY | 40 km south | 113 nights | 31 nights | 25°F |
| Pulaski County, KY | 41 km west | 94 nights | 26 nights | 29°F |
Laurel County within KY
Laurel County ranks 103 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 1,241 ft, Laurel County sits 444 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 London Corbin Airport, KY, 5 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. How a county figure is built from stations: how the numbers are made.