Will Pipes Freeze in Briscoe County, TX? 31 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Briscoe County
In a normal year Briscoe County, TX gets 31 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 47% 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 | 111 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 31 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 31 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 10/28, last around 04/13. For 20°F: 11/25 to 03/05.
How cold Briscoe County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 27°F | 34°F | 42°F | 53°F | 63°F | 66°F | 65°F | 58°F | 45°F | 33°F | 25°F |
Briscoe County next to its neighbours
Swisher County, TX, 49 km west, gets 36 nights below 20°F to Briscoe County's 31 nights. Floyd County, TX, 51 km south, gets 22 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Briscoe County, TX | - | 111 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
| Swisher County, TX | 49 km west | 119 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Armstrong County, TX | 51 km north | 116 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
| Floyd County, TX | 51 km south | 98 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
| Hall County, TX | 58 km east | 79 nights | 14 nights | 27°F |
| Donley County, TX | 60 km northeast | 104 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Motley County, TX | 64 km southeast | 72 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
Briscoe County within TX
Briscoe County ranks 19 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 3,202 ft, Briscoe County sits 2,210 ft above the state's median county elevation of 992 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 Silverton, TX, 11 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.