Will Pipes Freeze in Lawrence County, KY? 37 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Lawrence County
In a normal year Lawrence County, KY gets 37 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 53% 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 | 123 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 37 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 37 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 10/17, last around 04/24. For 20°F: 11/15 to 03/20.
How cold Lawrence County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°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, February, December: 9 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 25°F | 30°F | 39°F | 50°F | 59°F | 63°F | 62°F | 54°F | 42°F | 31°F | 27°F |
Lawrence County next to its neighbours
Elliott County, KY, 32 km west, gets 41 nights below 20°F to Lawrence County's 37 nights. Johnson County, KY, 26 km south, gets 31 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence County, KY | - | 123 nights | 37 nights | 23°F |
| Johnson County, KY | 26 km south | 115 nights | 31 nights | 23°F |
| Wayne County, WV | 29 km east | 97 nights | 26 nights | 26°F |
| Elliott County, KY | 32 km west | 118 nights | 41 nights | 22°F |
| Boyd County, KY | 32 km north | 103 nights | 29 nights | 25°F |
| Martin County, KY | 37 km southeast | 104 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Carter County, KY | 37 km northwest | 134 nights | 47 nights | 21°F |
Lawrence County within KY
Lawrence County ranks 12 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 814 ft, Lawrence County sits close to 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 Charley (2 mi SW), KY, 13 km away (close 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.