Will Pipes Freeze in Stafford County, KS? 40 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Stafford County
In a normal year Stafford County, KS gets 40 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 56% 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 | 113 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 40 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 11 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | 2 nights |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 40 nights of risk to 11 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 10/21, last around 04/18. For 20°F: 11/16 to 03/17.
How cold Stafford County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 22°F; the coldest month, January, averages 20°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: 11 nights a year, and 2 nights below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20°F | 23°F | 32°F | 42°F | 53°F | 63°F | 68°F | 66°F | 57°F | 44°F | 32°F | 23°F |
Stafford County next to its neighbours
Pratt County, KS, 43 km south, gets 43 nights below 20°F to Stafford County's 40 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stafford County, KS | - | 113 nights | 40 nights | 20°F |
| Pratt County, KS | 43 km south | 122 nights | 43 nights | 19°F |
| Pawnee County, KS | 48 km west | 124 nights | 47 nights | 20°F |
| Barton County, KS | 50 km north | 121 nights | 45 nights | 18°F |
| Edwards County, KS | 54 km west | 131 nights | 52 nights | 18°F |
| Rice County, KS | 57 km northeast | 122 nights | 44 nights | 20°F |
| Reno County, KS | 57 km east | 126 nights | 47 nights | 19°F |
Stafford County within KS
Stafford County ranks 85 of 105 KS counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Rawlins County, KS at 83 nights, with a 16°F average winter low. The fewest is Cherokee County, KS: 27 nights, winter lows near 26°F. At 1,886 ft, Stafford County sits 360 ft above the state's median county elevation of 1,526 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Hudson, KS, 9 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.