Will Pipes Freeze in Ouachita County, AR? 7 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Ouachita County
In a normal year Ouachita County, AR gets 7 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 21% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 63 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 7 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 7 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 11/06, last around 03/21. For 20°F: 12/24 to 02/01.
How cold Ouachita County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 33°F; the coldest month, January, averages 31°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 34°F | 42°F | 50°F | 60°F | 67°F | 71°F | 70°F | 62°F | 50°F | 40°F | 33°F |
Ouachita County next to its neighbours
Nevada County, AR, 40 km west, gets 7 nights below 20°F to Ouachita County's 7 nights. Columbia County, AR, 53 km southwest, gets 6 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ouachita County, AR | - | 63 nights | 7 nights | 31°F |
| Calhoun County, AR | 34 km east | 64 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Nevada County, AR | 40 km west | 62 nights | 7 nights | 31°F |
| Dallas County, AR | 47 km northeast | 72 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Columbia County, AR | 53 km southwest | 58 nights | 6 nights | 31°F |
| Union County, AR | 54 km southeast | 55 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Clark County, AR | 58 km northwest | 64 nights | 8 nights | 30°F |
Ouachita County within AR
Ouachita County ranks 63 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 152 ft, Ouachita County sits 196 ft below 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 Camden 1, AR, 5 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.