Will Pipes Freeze in Monroe County, KY? 27 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Monroe County
In a normal year Monroe 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 | 91 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 27 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 6 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 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 10/18, last around 04/26. For 20°F: 11/15 to 03/19.
How cold Monroe 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: 6 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 28°F | 35°F | 44°F | 53°F | 62°F | 65°F | 64°F | 57°F | 45°F | 35°F | 29°F |
Monroe County next to its neighbours
Cumberland County, KY, 30 km east, gets 29 nights below 20°F to Monroe County's 27 nights. Clay County, TN, 24 km southeast, gets 26 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County, KY | - | 91 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Clay County, TN | 24 km southeast | 96 nights | 26 nights | 26°F |
| Cumberland County, KY | 30 km east | 101 nights | 29 nights | 25°F |
| Metcalfe County, KY | 32 km north | 88 nights | 26 nights | 26°F |
| Macon County, TN | 32 km southwest | 75 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
| Barren County, KY | 34 km northwest | 81 nights | 21 nights | 29°F |
| Jackson County, TN | 40 km south | 102 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
Monroe County within KY
Monroe County ranks 75 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 951 ft, Monroe County sits 155 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 Summer Shade, KY, 19 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.