Will Pipes Freeze in Searcy County, AR? 25 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Searcy County
In a normal year Searcy County, AR gets 25 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 41% 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 | 87 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 25 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 25 nights of risk to 5 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 10/26, last around 04/11. For 20°F: 12/01 to 03/07.
How cold Searcy County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 28°F; the coldest month, January, averages 26°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, February, December: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26°F | 29°F | 37°F | 45°F | 55°F | 64°F | 68°F | 66°F | 58°F | 47°F | 37°F | 29°F |
Searcy County next to its neighbours
Newton County, AR, 47 km west, gets 27 nights below 20°F to Searcy County's 25 nights. Van Buren County, AR, 38 km southeast, gets 21 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Searcy County, AR | - | 87 nights | 25 nights | 26°F |
| Van Buren County, AR | 38 km southeast | 80 nights | 21 nights | 26°F |
| Marion County, AR | 41 km north | 86 nights | 23 nights | 26°F |
| Newton County, AR | 47 km west | 86 nights | 27 nights | 26°F |
| Stone County, AR | 50 km east | 79 nights | 19 nights | 28°F |
| Baxter County, AR | 54 km northeast | 84 nights | 21 nights | 26°F |
| Boone County, AR | 57 km northwest | 75 nights | 18 nights | 27°F |
Searcy County within AR
Searcy County ranks 6 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 787 ft, Searcy County sits 440 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 Marshall, AR, 4 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.