Will Pipes Freeze in Simpson County, KY? 21 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Simpson County
In a normal year Simpson County, KY gets 21 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 37% 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 | 83 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 21 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 21 nights of risk to 5 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 11/01, last around 04/05. For 20°F: 12/04 to 03/02.
How cold Simpson County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, January, averages 27°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, December: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27°F | 30°F | 37°F | 46°F | 56°F | 65°F | 69°F | 67°F | 59°F | 48°F | 37°F | 31°F |
Simpson County next to its neighbours
Logan County, KY, 30 km northwest, gets 24 nights below 20°F to Simpson County's 21 nights. Warren County, KY, 32 km northeast, gets 19 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simpson County, KY | - | 83 nights | 21 nights | 27°F |
| Logan County, KY | 30 km northwest | 91 nights | 24 nights | 26°F |
| Warren County, KY | 32 km northeast | 82 nights | 19 nights | 28°F |
| Sumner County, TN | 32 km south | 86 nights | 23 nights | 27°F |
| Allen County, KY | 35 km east | 79 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Robertson County, TN | 35 km southwest | 90 nights | 26 nights | 27°F |
| Butler County, KY | 53 km north | 94 nights | 25 nights | 24°F |
Simpson County within KY
Simpson County ranks 112 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 675 ft, Simpson County sits 121 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.
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 Portland Sewage Plt, TN, 18 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.