Will Pipes Freeze in Prairie County, AR? 7 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Prairie County
In a normal year Prairie 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 22% 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 | 53 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 11/14, last around 03/11. For 20°F: 12/30 to 02/02.
How cold Prairie County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 34°F; the coldest month, January, averages 32°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 36°F | 44°F | 53°F | 62°F | 70°F | 73°F | 71°F | 64°F | 52°F | 42°F | 35°F |
Prairie County next to its neighbours
Woodruff County, AR, 49 km northeast, gets 8 nights below 20°F to Prairie County's 7 nights. Arkansas County, AR, 62 km south, gets 6 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prairie County, AR | - | 53 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Lonoke County, AR | 32 km west | 55 nights | 8 nights | 30°F |
| Monroe County, AR | 36 km southeast | 56 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Woodruff County, AR | 49 km northeast | 55 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| White County, AR | 51 km north | 72 nights | 13 nights | 30°F |
| Arkansas County, AR | 62 km south | 49 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
| Pulaski County, AR | 70 km west | 55 nights | 8 nights | 30°F |
Prairie County within AR
Prairie County ranks 60 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 211 ft, Prairie County sits 136 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.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Des Arc, AR, 17 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. How a county figure is built from stations: how the numbers are made.