Will Pipes Freeze in Dallas County, TX? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Dallas County
In a normal year Dallas County, TX gets 2 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 11% 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 | 28 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 2 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 2 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 11/29, last around 03/02. For 20°F: 01/07 to 01/20.
How cold Dallas County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 39°F; the coldest month, January, averages 37°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37°F | 41°F | 49°F | 56°F | 65°F | 73°F | 77°F | 76°F | 69°F | 58°F | 47°F | 39°F |
Dallas County next to its neighbours
Rockwall County, TX, 37 km northeast, gets 4 nights below 20°F to Dallas County's 2 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas County, TX | - | 28 nights | 2 nights | 37°F |
| Rockwall County, TX | 37 km northeast | 40 nights | 4 nights | 35°F |
| Ellis County, TX | 47 km south | 36 nights | 3 nights | 35°F |
| Tarrant County, TX | 48 km west | 32 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Kaufman County, TX | 50 km east | 45 nights | 4 nights | 34°F |
| Collin County, TX | 51 km north | 46 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
| Denton County, TX | 58 km northwest | 39 nights | 4 nights | 34°F |
Dallas County within TX
Dallas County ranks 168 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 437 ft, Dallas County sits 555 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.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Dallas Love Field, TX, 12 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.