Will Pipes Freeze in Benton County, AR? 29 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Benton County
In a normal year Benton County, AR gets 29 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 | 98 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 29 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 29 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 04/12. For 20°F: 11/28 to 03/06.
How cold Benton County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°F; the coldest month, January, averages 25°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 28°F | 36°F | 45°F | 54°F | 63°F | 67°F | 66°F | 58°F | 46°F | 36°F | 28°F |
Benton County next to its neighbours
McDonald County, MO, 33 km north, gets 30 nights below 20°F to Benton County's 29 nights. Washington County, AR, 40 km south, gets 24 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County, AR | - | 98 nights | 29 nights | 25°F |
| McDonald County, MO | 33 km north | 100 nights | 30 nights | 25°F |
| Washington County, AR | 40 km south | 91 nights | 24 nights | 26°F |
| Delaware County, OK | 50 km west | 93 nights | 26 nights | 24°F |
| Barry County, MO | 55 km northeast | 109 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Madison County, AR | 60 km southeast | 73 nights | 20 nights | 28°F |
| Adair County, OK | 60 km southwest | 77 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
Benton County within AR
Benton County ranks 1 of 75 AR counties for nights below 20°F. The fewest is Miller County, AR: 3 nights, winter lows near 37°F. At 1,236 ft, Benton County sits 888 ft above the state's median county elevation of 347 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 Bentonville (4 mi S), AR, 4 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.