Will Pipes Freeze in Howard County, AR? 9 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Howard County
In a normal year Howard County, AR gets 9 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 25% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. 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 | 68 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 9 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 9 nights of risk to under 1 night. 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 03/26. For 20°F: 12/22 to 02/02.
How cold Howard 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: under 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 34°F | 41°F | 48°F | 58°F | 67°F | 70°F | 69°F | 62°F | 50°F | 40°F | 33°F |
Howard County next to its neighbours
Pike County, AR, 32 km east, gets 13 nights below 20°F to Howard County's 9 nights. Sevier County, AR, 25 km southwest, gets 8 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard County, AR | - | 68 nights | 9 nights | 30°F |
| Sevier County, AR | 25 km southwest | 67 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Pike County, AR | 32 km east | 75 nights | 13 nights | 29°F |
| Little River County, AR | 48 km southwest | 52 nights | 5 nights | 32°F |
| Hempstead County, AR | 49 km southeast | 64 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Polk County, AR | 50 km northwest | 72 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Montgomery County, AR | 60 km northeast | 81 nights | 16 nights | 30°F |
Howard County within AR
Howard County ranks 44 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 428 ft, Howard County sits 81 ft above the state's median county elevation of 347 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Which pipe gets which threshold: the 32, 20, 10 and 0 rule.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Nashville, AR, 21 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.