Will Pipes Freeze in Pope County, AR? 12 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Pope County
In a normal year Pope County, AR gets 12 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 28% 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 | 71 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 12 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 12 nights of risk to 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 11/02, last around 03/29. For 20°F: 12/13 to 02/14.
How cold Pope 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: 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 33°F | 41°F | 49°F | 59°F | 67°F | 71°F | 70°F | 62°F | 50°F | 40°F | 32°F |
Pope County next to its neighbours
Conway County, AR, 37 km southeast, gets 15 nights below 20°F to Pope County's 12 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pope County, AR | - | 71 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Conway County, AR | 37 km southeast | 79 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Johnson County, AR | 42 km west | 67 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Van Buren County, AR | 48 km east | 80 nights | 21 nights | 26°F |
| Newton County, AR | 53 km north | 86 nights | 27 nights | 26°F |
| Searcy County, AR | 57 km northeast | 87 nights | 25 nights | 26°F |
| Perry County, AR | 57 km south | 73 nights | 12 nights | 30°F |
Pope County within AR
Pope County ranks 33 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 601 ft, Pope County sits 254 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Russellville Municipal Airport, AR, 23 km away (fair 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.