Will Pipes Freeze in Montgomery County, KY? 40 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Montgomery County
In a normal year Montgomery County, KY gets 40 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 56% 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 | 116 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 40 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 9 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 40 nights of risk to 9 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: 11/18 to 03/21.
How cold Montgomery County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 23°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°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: 9 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 24°F | 31°F | 40°F | 51°F | 59°F | 63°F | 61°F | 53°F | 42°F | 31°F | 25°F |
Montgomery County next to its neighbours
Bath County, KY, 20 km northeast, gets 34 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County, KY | - | 116 nights | 40 nights | 22°F |
| Bath County, KY | 20 km northeast | 107 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Clark County, KY | 22 km west | 114 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
| Powell County, KY | 26 km south | 108 nights | 33 nights | 23°F |
| Menifee County, KY | 31 km east | 117 nights | 39 nights | 23°F |
| Bourbon County, KY | 32 km northwest | 108 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Nicholas County, KY | 35 km north | 107 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
Montgomery County within KY
Montgomery County ranks 7 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 967 ft, Montgomery County sits 171 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 Mount Sterling, KY, 3 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.