Will Pipes Freeze in Union County, AR? 5 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Union County
In a normal year Union County, AR gets 5 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 17% 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 | 55 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 5 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 5 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 03/18. For 20°F: 12/27 to 01/31.
How cold Union County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 35°F; the coldest month, January, averages 33°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33°F | 36°F | 44°F | 51°F | 61°F | 68°F | 71°F | 70°F | 63°F | 51°F | 41°F | 35°F |
Union County next to its neighbours
Calhoun County, AR, 44 km north, gets 7 nights below 20°F to Union County's 5 nights. Union Parish, LA, 43 km southeast, gets 2 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, AR | - | 55 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Union Parish, LA | 43 km southeast | 41 nights | 2 nights | 36°F |
| Calhoun County, AR | 44 km north | 64 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Bradley County, AR | 52 km northeast | 59 nights | 7 nights | 33°F |
| Claiborne Parish, LA | 53 km southwest | 57 nights | 5 nights | 32°F |
| Ouachita County, AR | 54 km northwest | 63 nights | 7 nights | 31°F |
| Columbia County, AR | 59 km west | 58 nights | 6 nights | 31°F |
Union County within AR
Union County ranks 71 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 190 ft, Union County sits 157 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.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Calion L&d, AR, 19 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.