Will Pipes Freeze in Ohio County, KY? 28 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Ohio County
In a normal year Ohio County, KY gets 28 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 44% 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 | 94 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 28 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 7 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 28 nights of risk to 7 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 10/22, last around 04/10. For 20°F: 11/26 to 03/09.
How cold Ohio County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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: 7 nights a year, and 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 27°F | 35°F | 45°F | 55°F | 64°F | 67°F | 65°F | 58°F | 45°F | 35°F | 29°F |
Ohio County next to its neighbours
Grayson County, KY, 44 km east, gets 39 nights below 20°F to Ohio County's 28 nights. Butler County, KY, 33 km southeast, gets 25 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio County, KY | - | 94 nights | 28 nights | 24°F |
| Butler County, KY | 33 km southeast | 94 nights | 25 nights | 24°F |
| Daviess County, KY | 35 km northwest | 87 nights | 24 nights | 25°F |
| McLean County, KY | 38 km west | 83 nights | 21 nights | 26°F |
| Muhlenberg County, KY | 39 km southwest | 93 nights | 26 nights | 24°F |
| Hancock County, KY | 41 km north | 80 nights | 20 nights | 26°F |
| Grayson County, KY | 44 km east | 111 nights | 39 nights | 22°F |
Ohio County within KY
Ohio County ranks 66 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 517 ft, Ohio County sits 280 ft below 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 Beaver Dam, 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.