Will Pipes Freeze in Rockcastle County, KY? 30 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Rockcastle County
In a normal year Rockcastle County, KY gets 30 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 46% 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 | 100 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 30 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 8 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 30 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 10/24, last around 04/18. For 20°F: 11/27 to 03/10.
How cold Rockcastle 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, March, December: 8 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 | 54°F | 62°F | 66°F | 64°F | 57°F | 45°F | 35°F | 29°F |
Rockcastle County next to its neighbours
Jackson County, KY, 26 km east, gets 31 nights below 20°F to Rockcastle County's 30 nights. Lincoln County, KY, 32 km west, gets 29 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockcastle County, KY | - | 100 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
| Jackson County, KY | 26 km east | 104 nights | 31 nights | 25°F |
| Lincoln County, KY | 32 km west | 97 nights | 29 nights | 25°F |
| Laurel County, KY | 33 km southeast | 90 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
| Garrard County, KY | 36 km northwest | 98 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
| Pulaski County, KY | 37 km southwest | 94 nights | 26 nights | 29°F |
| Madison County, KY | 41 km north | 101 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
Rockcastle County within KY
Rockcastle County ranks 47 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 1,242 ft, Rockcastle County sits 446 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 Mount Vernon, KY, 2 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.