Will Pipes Freeze in El Paso County, TX? 3 nights a Year
Freeze nights in El Paso County
In a normal year El Paso County, TX gets 3 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 12% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 45 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 3 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 3 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 11/20, last around 03/02. For 20°F: 12/28 to 01/11.
How cold El Paso County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 35°F; the coldest month, December, averages 34°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34°F | 38°F | 45°F | 52°F | 61°F | 70°F | 73°F | 71°F | 65°F | 54°F | 42°F | 34°F |
El Paso County next to its neighbours
Doña Ana County, NM, 86 km northwest, gets 8 nights below 20°F to El Paso County's 3 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Paso County, TX | - | 45 nights | 3 nights | 34°F |
| Doña Ana County, NM | 86 km northwest | 75 nights | 8 nights | 29°F |
| Hudspeth County, TX | 89 km southeast | 99 nights | 19 nights | 25°F |
| Otero County, NM | 105 km northeast | 114 nights | 26 nights | 25°F |
| Luna County, NM | 149 km west | 90 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Culberson County, TX | 166 km east | 57 nights | 9 nights | 33°F |
| Sierra County, NM | 175 km northwest | 72 nights | 6 nights | 30°F |
El Paso County within TX
El Paso County ranks 157 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 4,012 ft, El Paso County sits 3,019 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.
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 El Paso International Airport, TX, 14 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.