Will Pipes Freeze in Letcher County, KY? 25 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Letcher County
In a normal year Letcher County, KY gets 25 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 41% 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 | 110 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 25 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 6 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 25 nights of risk to 6 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 Letcher County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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: 6 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 27°F | 32°F | 40°F | 51°F | 58°F | 64°F | 62°F | 56°F | 43°F | 32°F | 28°F |
Letcher County next to its neighbours
Wise County, VA, 27 km southeast, gets 31 nights below 20°F to Letcher County's 25 nights. Knott County, KY, 27 km north, gets 23 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letcher County, KY | - | 110 nights | 25 nights | 24°F |
| Wise County, VA | 27 km southeast | 101 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
| Knott County, KY | 27 km north | 99 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
| Norton city, VA | 29 km southeast | 98 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Perry County, KY | 34 km northwest | 104 nights | 23 nights | 25°F |
| Harlan County, KY | 43 km southwest | 109 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
| Dickenson County, VA | 45 km east | 123 nights | 39 nights | 23°F |
Letcher County within KY
Letcher County ranks 86 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 1,478 ft, Letcher County sits 681 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 Whitesburg (2 mi SE), KY, 5 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.