Will Pipes Freeze in Coke County, TX? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Coke County
In a normal year Coke County, TX gets 10 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 26% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. 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 | 66 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 10 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 10 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 11/07, last around 03/26. For 20°F: 12/12 to 02/08.
How cold Coke County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 34°F | 42°F | 50°F | 60°F | 68°F | 71°F | 70°F | 63°F | 51°F | 40°F | 31°F |
Coke County next to its neighbours
Sterling County, TX, 40 km west, gets 12 nights below 20°F to Coke County's 10 nights. Tom Green County, TX, 56 km south, gets 6 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coke County, TX | - | 66 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Sterling County, TX | 40 km west | 72 nights | 12 nights | 30°F |
| Nolan County, TX | 53 km northeast | 62 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Mitchell County, TX | 55 km northwest | 75 nights | 11 nights | 28°F |
| Tom Green County, TX | 56 km south | 54 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
| Runnels County, TX | 62 km east | 54 nights | 6 nights | 31°F |
| Irion County, TX | 72 km southwest | 75 nights | 13 nights | 29°F |
Coke County within TX
Coke County ranks 74 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 2,075 ft, Coke County sits 1,082 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.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Robert Lee (4 mi WSW), TX, 9 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.