Will Pipes Freeze in Boone County, AR? 18 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Boone County
In a normal year Boone County, AR gets 18 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 34% 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 | 75 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 18 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 4 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 18 nights of risk to 4 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 10/30, last around 04/03. For 20°F: 12/03 to 03/01.
How cold Boone 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: 4 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 | 38°F | 47°F | 56°F | 64°F | 68°F | 67°F | 59°F | 48°F | 38°F | 30°F |
Boone County next to its neighbours
Marion County, AR, 36 km east, gets 23 nights below 20°F to Boone County's 18 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County, AR | - | 75 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
| Marion County, AR | 36 km east | 86 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
| Taney County, MO | 39 km north | 103 nights | 26 nights | 24°F |
| Carroll County, AR | 42 km west | 78 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
| Newton County, AR | 45 km south | 86 nights | 27 nights | 26°F |
| Searcy County, AR | 57 km southeast | 87 nights | 25 nights | 26°F |
| Stone County, MO | 60 km northwest | 111 nights | 35 nights | 22°F |
Boone County within AR
Boone County ranks 16 of 75 AR counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Benton County, AR at 29 nights, with a 27°F average winter low. The fewest is Miller County, AR: 3 nights, winter lows near 37°F. At 1,198 ft, Boone County sits 850 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.
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 Harrison Boone County Airport, AR, 8 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.