Will Pipes Freeze in Montgomery County, AR? 16 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Montgomery County
In a normal year Montgomery County, AR gets 16 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 33% 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 | 81 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 16 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 16 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 10/26, last around 04/08. For 20°F: 12/01 to 02/25.
How cold Montgomery County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°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: 2 nights a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 32°F | 40°F | 48°F | 57°F | 65°F | 69°F | 67°F | 60°F | 48°F | 39°F | 31°F |
Montgomery County next to its neighbours
Scott County, AR, 50 km northwest, gets 17 nights below 20°F to Montgomery County's 16 nights. Pike County, AR, 43 km south, gets 13 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County, AR | - | 81 nights | 16 nights | 30°F |
| Pike County, AR | 43 km south | 75 nights | 13 nights | 29°F |
| Garland County, AR | 48 km east | 77 nights | 12 nights | 30°F |
| Scott County, AR | 50 km northwest | 81 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Polk County, AR | 52 km west | 72 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Yell County, AR | 55 km northeast | 69 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
| Howard County, AR | 60 km southwest | 68 nights | 9 nights | 30°F |
Montgomery County within AR
Montgomery County ranks 20 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 936 ft, Montgomery County sits 589 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 Mount Ida (3 mi SE), AR, 7 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.