Will Pipes Freeze in Rowan County, KY? 33 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Rowan County
In a normal year Rowan County, KY gets 33 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 49% 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 | 105 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 33 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 10 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 33 nights of risk to 10 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 10/25, last around 04/17. For 20°F: 11/28 to 03/11.
How cold Rowan 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: 10 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 26°F | 33°F | 42°F | 52°F | 61°F | 65°F | 63°F | 56°F | 44°F | 34°F | 28°F |
Rowan County next to its neighbours
Bath County, KY, 28 km west, gets 34 nights below 20°F to Rowan County's 33 nights. Fleming County, KY, 30 km northwest, gets 30 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowan County, KY | - | 105 nights | 33 nights | 24°F |
| Bath County, KY | 28 km west | 107 nights | 34 nights | 23°F |
| Fleming County, KY | 30 km northwest | 101 nights | 30 nights | 23°F |
| Elliott County, KY | 31 km east | 118 nights | 41 nights | 22°F |
| Menifee County, KY | 33 km southwest | 117 nights | 39 nights | 23°F |
| Morgan County, KY | 35 km southeast | 140 nights | 49 nights | 22°F |
| Carter County, KY | 36 km east | 134 nights | 47 nights | 21°F |
Rowan County within KY
Rowan County ranks 32 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 1,049 ft, Rowan County sits 252 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 Cave Run Lake, KY, 13 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.