Will Pipes Freeze in Independence County, AR? 17 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Independence County
In a normal year Independence County, AR gets 17 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 | 82 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 17 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 17 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 11/05, last around 03/30. For 20°F: 12/15 to 02/21.
How cold Independence 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: 3 nights a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 30°F | 38°F | 47°F | 57°F | 65°F | 69°F | 67°F | 60°F | 48°F | 38°F | 30°F |
Independence County next to its neighbours
Sharp County, AR, 49 km north, gets 25 nights below 20°F to Independence County's 17 nights. Jackson County, AR, 34 km southeast, gets 11 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence County, AR | - | 82 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Jackson County, AR | 34 km southeast | 60 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Cleburne County, AR | 44 km west | 75 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Sharp County, AR | 49 km north | 90 nights | 25 nights | 25°F |
| Izard County, AR | 51 km northwest | 97 nights | 28 nights | 25°F |
| Lawrence County, AR | 53 km northeast | 69 nights | 13 nights | 28°F |
| Stone County, AR | 54 km west | 79 nights | 19 nights | 28°F |
Independence County within AR
Independence County ranks 18 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 329 ft, Independence County sits close to 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 Batesville L&d 1, 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.