Will Pipes Freeze in Craighead County, AR? 12 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Craighead County
In a normal year Craighead County, AR gets 12 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 29% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 67 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 12 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 12 nights of risk to 2 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 11/09, last around 03/23. For 20°F: 12/24 to 02/11.
How cold Craighead County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°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: 2 nights a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 33°F | 41°F | 50°F | 60°F | 68°F | 72°F | 70°F | 62°F | 50°F | 40°F | 33°F |
Craighead County next to its neighbours
Poinsett County, AR, 29 km south, gets 15 nights below 20°F to Craighead County's 12 nights. Mississippi County, AR, 53 km east, gets 11 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craighead County, AR | - | 67 nights | 12 nights | 30°F |
| Poinsett County, AR | 29 km south | 75 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Greene County, AR | 33 km north | 66 nights | 13 nights | 28°F |
| Lawrence County, AR | 48 km northwest | 69 nights | 13 nights | 28°F |
| Mississippi County, AR | 53 km east | 63 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Jackson County, AR | 59 km southwest | 60 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Cross County, AR | 61 km south | 61 nights | 9 nights | 31°F |
Craighead County within AR
Craighead County ranks 32 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 242 ft, Craighead County sits 105 ft below 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 Jonesboro Municipal Airport, AR, 1 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.