Will Pipes Freeze in Mason County, KY? 37 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Mason County
In a normal year Mason 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 52% 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 | 37 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 11 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 3 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 37 nights of risk to 11 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 10/30, last around 04/12. For 20°F: 12/03 to 03/07.
How cold Mason County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 21°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, March, December: 11 nights a year, and 3 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21°F | 23°F | 30°F | 40°F | 51°F | 60°F | 64°F | 62°F | 55°F | 43°F | 33°F | 26°F |
Mason County next to its neighbours
Brown County, OH, 38 km north, gets 42 nights below 20°F to Mason County's 37 nights. Robertson County, KY, 22 km southwest, gets 36 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason County, KY | - | 110 nights | 37 nights | 21°F |
| Robertson County, KY | 22 km southwest | 110 nights | 36 nights | 21°F |
| Bracken County, KY | 27 km west | 102 nights | 29 nights | 22°F |
| Fleming County, KY | 28 km southeast | 101 nights | 30 nights | 23°F |
| Nicholas County, KY | 33 km southwest | 107 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Brown County, OH | 38 km north | 118 nights | 42 nights | 19°F |
| Lewis County, KY | 40 km east | 118 nights | 37 nights | 23°F |
Mason County within KY
Mason County ranks 16 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 905 ft, Mason County sits 108 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 Flemingsburg (2 mi N), KY, 18 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.