Will Pipes Freeze in McCreary County, KY? 33 nights a Year
Freeze nights in McCreary County
In a normal year McCreary County, KY gets 33 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 49% 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 | 119 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 33 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 33 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 10/18, last around 04/24. For 20°F: 11/20 to 03/14.
How cold McCreary County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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, March, December: 8 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 26°F | 33°F | 41°F | 51°F | 59°F | 63°F | 62°F | 54°F | 42°F | 32°F | 27°F |
McCreary County next to its neighbours
Wayne County, KY, 31 km west, gets 28 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McCreary County, KY | - | 119 nights | 33 nights | 24°F |
| Wayne County, KY | 31 km west | 99 nights | 28 nights | 26°F |
| Whitley County, KY | 31 km east | 113 nights | 31 nights | 25°F |
| Scott County, TN | 33 km south | 116 nights | 33 nights | 24°F |
| Pulaski County, KY | 43 km north | 94 nights | 26 nights | 29°F |
| Campbell County, TN | 47 km southeast | 108 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Laurel County, KY | 54 km northeast | 90 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
McCreary County within KY
McCreary County ranks 30 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 1,181 ft, McCreary County sits 385 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 Stearns (2 mi S), KY, 7 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.