Will Pipes Freeze in Johnson County, AR? 15 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Johnson County
In a normal year Johnson 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 31% 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 | 15 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 15 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 11/10, last around 03/25. For 20°F: 12/20 to 02/19.
How cold Johnson County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 33°F | 40°F | 49°F | 59°F | 67°F | 71°F | 70°F | 63°F | 51°F | 41°F | 33°F |
Johnson County next to its neighbours
Newton County, AR, 44 km northeast, gets 27 nights below 20°F to Johnson County's 15 nights. Pope County, AR, 42 km east, gets 12 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County, AR | - | 67 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Franklin County, AR | 39 km west | 72 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Pope County, AR | 42 km east | 71 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Newton County, AR | 44 km northeast | 86 nights | 27 nights | 26°F |
| Logan County, AR | 46 km southwest | 69 nights | 12 nights | 28°F |
| Madison County, AR | 54 km northwest | 73 nights | 20 nights | 28°F |
| Yell County, AR | 64 km south | 69 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
Johnson County within AR
Johnson County ranks 27 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 824 ft, Johnson County sits 477 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 Clarksville (6 mi NE), AR, 7 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.