Will Pipes Freeze in Spencer County, KY? 37 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Spencer County
In a normal year Spencer County, KY gets 37 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 53% 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 | 109 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 37 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 10 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 3 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 37 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 10/16, last around 04/23. For 20°F: 11/21 to 03/14.
How cold Spencer County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 22°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, March, December: 10 nights a year, and 3 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22°F | 25°F | 33°F | 41°F | 51°F | 60°F | 64°F | 62°F | 55°F | 42°F | 34°F | 27°F |
Spencer County next to its neighbours
Shelby County, KY, 25 km north, gets 55 nights below 20°F to Spencer County's 37 nights. Nelson County, KY, 28 km southwest, gets 26 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spencer County, KY | - | 109 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
| Shelby County, KY | 25 km north | 135 nights | 55 nights | 21°F |
| Nelson County, KY | 28 km southwest | 90 nights | 26 nights | 26°F |
| Anderson County, KY | 29 km east | 99 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
| Washington County, KY | 33 km south | 97 nights | 29 nights | 25°F |
| Bullitt County, KY | 34 km west | 89 nights | 25 nights | 26°F |
| Jefferson County, KY | 35 km northwest | 78 nights | 20 nights | 27°F |
Spencer County within KY
Spencer County ranks 14 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 649 ft, Spencer County sits 147 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 Taylorsville Lake, KY, 3 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.