Will Pipes Freeze in Washington County, AR? 24 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Washington County
In a normal year Washington County, AR gets 24 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 | 91 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 24 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 24 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 10/21, last around 04/15. For 20°F: 11/23 to 03/08.
How cold Washington 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 | 63°F | 67°F | 66°F | 57°F | 46°F | 36°F | 28°F |
Washington County next to its neighbours
Benton County, AR, 40 km north, gets 29 nights below 20°F to Washington County's 24 nights. Adair County, OK, 40 km west, gets 19 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, AR | - | 91 nights | 24 nights | 26°F |
| Adair County, OK | 40 km west | 77 nights | 19 nights | 27°F |
| Benton County, AR | 40 km north | 98 nights | 29 nights | 25°F |
| Crawford County, AR | 44 km south | 84 nights | 18 nights | 26°F |
| Madison County, AR | 45 km east | 73 nights | 20 nights | 28°F |
| Franklin County, AR | 60 km southeast | 72 nights | 15 nights | 28°F |
| Delaware County, OK | 70 km northwest | 93 nights | 26 nights | 24°F |
Washington County within AR
Washington County ranks 7 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 1,353 ft, Washington County sits 1,006 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 Fayetteville Drake Field, AR, 6 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.