Will Pipes Freeze in Madison County, KY? 30 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Madison County
In a normal year Madison County, KY gets 30 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 46% 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 | 101 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 30 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 8 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 30 nights of risk to 8 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 04/15. For 20°F: 11/30 to 03/14.
How cold Madison County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°F; the coldest month, January, averages 25°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: 8 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 27°F | 34°F | 44°F | 54°F | 62°F | 66°F | 65°F | 57°F | 45°F | 36°F | 29°F |
Madison County next to its neighbours
Estill County, KY, 28 km east, gets 34 nights below 20°F to Madison County's 30 nights. Garrard County, KY, 26 km southwest, gets 30 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County, KY | - | 101 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
| Garrard County, KY | 26 km southwest | 98 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
| Estill County, KY | 28 km east | 112 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Clark County, KY | 30 km northeast | 114 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
| Jessamine County, KY | 31 km northwest | 87 nights | 24 nights | 26°F |
| Fayette County, KY | 38 km northwest | 92 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Powell County, KY | 40 km east | 108 nights | 33 nights | 23°F |
Madison County within KY
Madison County ranks 48 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 955 ft, Madison County sits 158 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 Eastern Kentucky Univ, KY, 6 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.