Will Pipes Freeze in Austin County, TX? under 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Austin County
In a normal year Austin County, TX gets under 1 night at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 5% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 13 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | under 1 night |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from under 1 night of risk to none. 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 11/30, last around 02/28. For 20°F: 01/15 to 01/23.
How cold Austin County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 43°F; the coldest month, January, averages 41°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41°F | 45°F | 52°F | 58°F | 66°F | 72°F | 74°F | 73°F | 69°F | 60°F | 50°F | 43°F |
Austin County next to its neighbours
Colorado County, TX, 40 km southwest, gets 1 night below 20°F to Austin County's under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin County, TX | - | 13 nights | under 1 night | 41°F |
| Waller County, TX | 31 km northeast | 17 nights | under 1 night | 41°F |
| Washington County, TX | 38 km north | 20 nights | under 1 night | 39°F |
| Colorado County, TX | 40 km southwest | 22 nights | 1 night | 40°F |
| Fayette County, TX | 63 km west | 20 nights | under 1 night | 40°F |
| Fort Bend County, TX | 63 km southeast | 9 nights | under 1 night | 44°F |
| Wharton County, TX | 68 km south | 12 nights | under 1 night | 42°F |
Austin County within TX
Austin County ranks 214 of 254 TX counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Lipscomb County, TX at 57 nights, with a 20°F average winter low. The fewest is Cameron County, TX: none, winter lows near 54°F. At 149 ft, Austin County sits 844 ft below the state's median county elevation of 992 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
Why rare cold catches people out - freezes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Sealy, TX, 18 km away (close 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.