Will Pipes Freeze in Van Buren County, AR? 21 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Van Buren County
In a normal year Van Buren County, AR gets 21 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 37% 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 | 80 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 21 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 4 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 21 nights of risk to 4 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 Van Buren 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: 4 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 | 46°F | 56°F | 64°F | 68°F | 67°F | 59°F | 48°F | 38°F | 30°F |
Van Buren County next to its neighbours
Searcy County, AR, 38 km northwest, gets 25 nights below 20°F to Van Buren County's 21 nights. Conway County, AR, 39 km southwest, gets 15 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Buren County, AR | - | 80 nights | 21 nights | 26°F |
| Searcy County, AR | 38 km northwest | 87 nights | 25 nights | 26°F |
| Conway County, AR | 39 km southwest | 79 nights | 15 nights | 29°F |
| Stone County, AR | 46 km northeast | 79 nights | 19 nights | 28°F |
| Cleburne County, AR | 46 km east | 75 nights | 16 nights | 28°F |
| Pope County, AR | 48 km west | 71 nights | 12 nights | 29°F |
| Faulkner County, AR | 51 km south | 80 nights | 18 nights | 28°F |
Van Buren County within AR
Van Buren County ranks 10 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 778 ft, Van Buren County sits 431 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, 39 km away (fair 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.