Will Pipes Freeze in Bowie County, TX? 5 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Bowie County
In a normal year Bowie County, TX 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 | 47 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 11/06, last around 03/26. For 20°F: 12/19 to 02/07.
How cold Bowie 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 | 43°F | 51°F | 61°F | 68°F | 72°F | 70°F | 64°F | 52°F | 42°F | 35°F |
Bowie County next to its neighbours
Titus County, TX, 57 km southwest, gets 7 nights below 20°F to Bowie County's 5 nights. Miller County, AR, 51 km east, gets 3 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowie County, TX | - | 47 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Little River County, AR | 33 km northeast | 52 nights | 5 nights | 32°F |
| Cass County, TX | 41 km south | 52 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
| Morris County, TX | 47 km southwest | 46 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Miller County, AR | 51 km east | 42 nights | 3 nights | 35°F |
| Titus County, TX | 57 km southwest | 59 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Red River County, TX | 61 km west | 57 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
Bowie County within TX
Bowie County ranks 126 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 352 ft, Bowie County sits 640 ft below 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 Dekalb, TX, 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.