Will Pipes Freeze in Miami County, KS? 38 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Miami County
In a normal year Miami County, KS gets 38 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 54% 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 | 108 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 38 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 13 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 38 nights of risk to 13 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 10/21, last around 04/13. For 20°F: 11/20 to 03/12.
How cold Miami County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 22°F; the coldest month, January, averages 19°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: 13 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19°F | 23°F | 33°F | 43°F | 55°F | 65°F | 69°F | 66°F | 58°F | 45°F | 34°F | 23°F |
Miami County next to its neighbours
Franklin County, KS, 39 km west, gets 39 nights below 20°F to Miami County's 38 nights. Johnson County, KS, 35 km north, gets 37 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami County, KS | - | 108 nights | 38 nights | 19°F |
| Johnson County, KS | 35 km north | 101 nights | 37 nights | 20°F |
| Franklin County, KS | 39 km west | 111 nights | 39 nights | 18°F |
| Linn County, KS | 39 km south | 120 nights | 47 nights | 19°F |
| Cass County, MO | 43 km east | 107 nights | 41 nights | 20°F |
| Douglas County, KS | 54 km northwest | 111 nights | 43 nights | 19°F |
| Bates County, MO | 55 km southeast | 111 nights | 39 nights | 20°F |
Miami County within KS
Miami County ranks 90 of 105 KS counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Rawlins County, KS at 83 nights, with a 16°F average winter low. The fewest is Cherokee County, KS: 27 nights, winter lows near 26°F. At 875 ft, Miami County sits 650 ft below the state's median county elevation of 1,526 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 Paola, KS, 5 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.