Will Pipes Freeze in Mercer County, KY? 24 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Mercer County
In a normal year Mercer County, KY gets 24 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 40% 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 | 88 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 24 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 6 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 24 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 11/01, last around 04/07. For 20°F: 11/28 to 03/05.
How cold Mercer County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, January, averages 26°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: 6 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26°F | 28°F | 35°F | 45°F | 55°F | 63°F | 66°F | 65°F | 58°F | 47°F | 35°F | 29°F |
Mercer County next to its neighbours
Boyle County, KY, 22 km south, gets 31 nights below 20°F to Mercer County's 24 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer County, KY | - | 88 nights | 24 nights | 26°F |
| Boyle County, KY | 22 km south | 100 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
| Anderson County, KY | 23 km northwest | 99 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
| Washington County, KY | 27 km west | 97 nights | 29 nights | 25°F |
| Jessamine County, KY | 27 km east | 87 nights | 24 nights | 26°F |
| Woodford County, KY | 28 km northeast | 91 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Garrard County, KY | 36 km southeast | 98 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
Mercer County within KY
Mercer County ranks 93 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 839 ft, Mercer County sits close to 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Dix Dam, KY, 15 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.