Will Pipes Freeze in Franklin County, AR? 15 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Franklin County
In a normal year Franklin County, AR gets 15 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 32% 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 | 72 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 15 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 3 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 15 nights of risk to 3 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 11/06, last around 03/30. For 20°F: 12/16 to 02/20.
How cold Franklin County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 30°F; the coldest month, January, averages 28°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, December: 3 nights a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 32°F | 39°F | 48°F | 57°F | 66°F | 70°F | 69°F | 62°F | 50°F | 39°F | 31°F |
Franklin County next to its neighbours
Crawford County, AR, 33 km west, gets 18 nights below 20°F to Franklin County's 15 nights. Logan County, AR, 36 km southeast, gets 12 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin County, AR | - | 72 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Crawford County, AR | 33 km west | 84 nights | 18 nights | 26°F |
| Logan County, AR | 36 km southeast | 69 nights | 12 nights | 28°F |
| Johnson County, AR | 39 km east | 67 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Sebastian County, AR | 49 km southwest | 68 nights | 11 nights | 29°F |
| Madison County, AR | 58 km north | 73 nights | 20 nights | 28°F |
| Washington County, AR | 60 km northwest | 91 nights | 24 nights | 26°F |
Franklin County within AR
Franklin County ranks 24 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 680 ft, Franklin County sits 333 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Ozark 2, AR, 2 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.