Will Pipes Freeze in Madison County, AR? 20 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Madison County
In a normal year Madison County, AR gets 20 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 37% 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 | 73 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 20 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 20 nights of risk to 5 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 11/07, last around 03/30. For 20°F: 12/08 to 02/27.
How cold Madison 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, February, December: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 32°F | 39°F | 48°F | 57°F | 65°F | 69°F | 68°F | 61°F | 50°F | 40°F | 31°F |
Madison County next to its neighbours
Washington County, AR, 45 km west, gets 24 nights below 20°F to Madison County's 20 nights. Carroll County, AR, 40 km northeast, gets 18 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison County, AR | - | 73 nights | 20 nights | 28°F |
| Carroll County, AR | 40 km northeast | 78 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
| Washington County, AR | 45 km west | 91 nights | 24 nights | 26°F |
| Newton County, AR | 47 km east | 86 nights | 27 nights | 26°F |
| Johnson County, AR | 54 km southeast | 67 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Franklin County, AR | 58 km south | 72 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Benton County, AR | 60 km northwest | 98 nights | 29 nights | 25°F |
Madison County within AR
Madison County ranks 12 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 1,440 ft, Madison County sits 1,093 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 Huntsville (1 mi SSW), AR, 7 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.