Will Pipes Freeze in Martin County, KY? 27 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Martin County
In a normal year Martin County, KY gets 27 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 43% 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 | 104 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 27 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 7 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 27 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 10/24, last around 04/20. For 20°F: 11/25 to 03/13.
How cold Martin 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: 7 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 27°F | 33°F | 43°F | 52°F | 61°F | 65°F | 63°F | 57°F | 44°F | 34°F | 29°F |
Martin County next to its neighbours
Johnson County, KY, 29 km west, gets 31 nights below 20°F to Martin County's 27 nights. Mingo County, WV, 32 km east, gets 25 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martin County, KY | - | 104 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Johnson County, KY | 29 km west | 115 nights | 31 nights | 23°F |
| Mingo County, WV | 32 km east | 100 nights | 25 nights | 25°F |
| Floyd County, KY | 34 km southwest | 108 nights | 24 nights | 23°F |
| Pike County, KY | 36 km south | 118 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Lawrence County, KY | 37 km northwest | 123 nights | 37 nights | 23°F |
| Wayne County, WV | 39 km north | 97 nights | 26 nights | 26°F |
Martin County within KY
Martin County ranks 71 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 1,069 ft, Martin County sits 272 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Inez (2 mi E), KY, 9 km away (close 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.