Will Pipes Freeze in Borden County, TX? 7 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Borden County
In a normal year Borden County, TX gets 7 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 21% 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 | 56 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 7 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 7 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 11/08, last around 03/27. For 20°F: 12/15 to 02/09.
How cold Borden County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 34°F; the coldest month, January, averages 32°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 36°F | 43°F | 50°F | 60°F | 67°F | 70°F | 70°F | 62°F | 52°F | 41°F | 33°F |
Borden County next to its neighbours
Dawson County, TX, 48 km west, gets 16 nights below 20°F to Borden County's 7 nights. Howard County, TX, 48 km south, gets 5 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Borden County, TX | - | 56 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Dawson County, TX | 48 km west | 93 nights | 16 nights | 26°F |
| Howard County, TX | 48 km south | 55 nights | 5 nights | 31°F |
| Scurry County, TX | 49 km east | 71 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
| Garza County, TX | 51 km north | 69 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
| Lynn County, TX | 60 km northwest | 80 nights | 12 nights | 28°F |
| Mitchell County, TX | 68 km southeast | 75 nights | 11 nights | 28°F |
Borden County within TX
Borden County ranks 101 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 2,516 ft, Borden County sits 1,523 ft above the state's median county elevation of 992 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 Gail, TX, 4 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.