Will Pipes Freeze in Pike County, KY? 35 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Pike County
In a normal year Pike County, KY gets 35 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 51% 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 | 118 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 35 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 8 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 35 nights of risk to 8 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 10/23, last around 04/22. For 20°F: 11/23 to 03/18.
How cold Pike County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°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, December: 8 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 26°F | 32°F | 40°F | 50°F | 58°F | 62°F | 62°F | 55°F | 43°F | 33°F | 27°F |
Pike County next to its neighbours
Dickenson County, VA, 39 km south, gets 39 nights below 20°F to Pike County's 35 nights. Floyd County, KY, 30 km west, gets 24 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pike County, KY | - | 118 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Floyd County, KY | 30 km west | 108 nights | 24 nights | 23°F |
| Mingo County, WV | 34 km northeast | 100 nights | 25 nights | 25°F |
| Martin County, KY | 36 km north | 104 nights | 27 nights | 25°F |
| Dickenson County, VA | 39 km south | 123 nights | 39 nights | 23°F |
| Buchanan County, VA | 41 km southeast | 119 nights | 34 nights | 24°F |
| Knott County, KY | 50 km west | 99 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
Pike County within KY
Pike County ranks 21 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 1,814 ft, Pike County sits 1,017 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.
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 Breaks Interstate Park, VA, 24 km away (fair 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.