Will Pipes Freeze in Scott County, AR? 17 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Scott County
In a normal year Scott County, AR gets 17 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 34% 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 | 17 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 17 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 10/28, last around 04/08. For 20°F: 12/01 to 02/27.
How cold Scott County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 30°F; the coldest month, January, averages 28°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, December: 2 nights a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 31°F | 39°F | 47°F | 57°F | 65°F | 69°F | 67°F | 60°F | 48°F | 38°F | 30°F |
Scott County next to its neighbours
Sebastian County, AR, 42 km northwest, gets 11 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott County, AR | - | 81 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Sebastian County, AR | 42 km northwest | 68 nights | 11 nights | 29°F |
| Polk County, AR | 44 km south | 72 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Montgomery County, AR | 50 km southeast | 81 nights | 16 nights | 30°F |
| Logan County, AR | 51 km northeast | 69 nights | 12 nights | 28°F |
| Le Flore County, OK | 58 km west | 76 nights | 17 nights | 28°F |
| Yell County, AR | 62 km east | 69 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
Scott County within AR
Scott County ranks 19 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 926 ft, Scott County sits 578 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 Waldron, AR, 8 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.