Will Pipes Freeze in St. Francis County, AR? 8 nights a Year
Freeze nights in St. Francis County
In a normal year St. Francis County, AR gets 8 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 23% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. 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 | 58 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 8 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 8 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 11/07, last around 03/23. For 20°F: 12/29 to 02/09.
How cold St. Francis County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 34°F; the coldest month, January, averages 32°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January: under 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 35°F | 43°F | 51°F | 61°F | 70°F | 72°F | 70°F | 63°F | 52°F | 42°F | 35°F |
St. Francis County next to its neighbours
Cross County, AR, 29 km north, gets 9 nights below 20°F to St. Francis County's 8 nights. Lee County, AR, 27 km south, gets 7 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Francis County, AR | - | 58 nights | 8 nights | 32°F |
| Lee County, AR | 27 km south | 55 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Cross County, AR | 29 km north | 61 nights | 9 nights | 31°F |
| Crittenden County, AR | 45 km northeast | 57 nights | 8 nights | 32°F |
| Woodruff County, AR | 49 km northwest | 55 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Tunica County, MS | 54 km southeast | 53 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Monroe County, AR | 56 km southwest | 56 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
St. Francis County within AR
St. Francis County ranks 48 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 283 ft, St. Francis County sits 64 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.
Which pipe gets which threshold: the 32, 20, 10 and 0 rule.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Wynne, AR, 26 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.