Will Pipes Freeze in Wayne County, KY? 28 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Wayne County
In a normal year Wayne County, KY gets 28 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 44% 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 | 99 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 28 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 6 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 28 nights of risk to 6 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 10/26, last around 04/18. For 20°F: 11/29 to 03/11.
How cold Wayne County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, January, averages 26°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: 6 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26°F | 28°F | 35°F | 43°F | 53°F | 62°F | 66°F | 64°F | 57°F | 46°F | 35°F | 30°F |
Wayne County next to its neighbours
Russell County, KY, 29 km northwest, gets 32 nights below 20°F to Wayne County's 28 nights. Clinton County, KY, 29 km west, gets 26 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County, KY | - | 99 nights | 28 nights | 26°F |
| Clinton County, KY | 29 km west | 98 nights | 26 nights | 26°F |
| Russell County, KY | 29 km northwest | 110 nights | 32 nights | 25°F |
| McCreary County, KY | 31 km east | 119 nights | 33 nights | 24°F |
| Pickett County, TN | 35 km southwest | 94 nights | 24 nights | 27°F |
| Pulaski County, KY | 41 km northeast | 94 nights | 26 nights | 29°F |
| Fentress County, TN | 49 km south | 96 nights | 27 nights | 26°F |
Wayne County within KY
Wayne County ranks 67 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 984 ft, Wayne County sits 188 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.
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 Monticello (3 mi NE), KY, 7 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. How a county figure is built from stations: how the numbers are made.