Will Pipes Freeze in Polk County, AR? 15 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Polk County
In a normal year Polk 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 32% 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 | 72 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 | under 1 night |
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 11/01, last around 04/05. For 20°F: 12/06 to 02/24.
How cold Polk County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°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 under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 32°F | 39°F | 47°F | 57°F | 65°F | 68°F | 67°F | 60°F | 49°F | 39°F | 31°F |
Polk County next to its neighbours
Scott County, AR, 44 km north, gets 17 nights below 20°F to Polk County's 15 nights. Howard County, AR, 50 km southeast, gets 9 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County, AR | - | 72 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Scott County, AR | 44 km north | 81 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Howard County, AR | 50 km southeast | 68 nights | 9 nights | 30°F |
| Montgomery County, AR | 52 km east | 81 nights | 16 nights | 30°F |
| Sevier County, AR | 55 km south | 67 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Le Flore County, OK | 62 km northwest | 76 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Pike County, AR | 64 km southeast | 75 nights | 13 nights | 29°F |
Polk County within AR
Polk County ranks 23 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 1,423 ft, Polk County sits 1,076 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 Mena, AR, 13 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.