Will Pipes Freeze in Gillespie County, TX? 5 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Gillespie County
In a normal year Gillespie 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 | 42 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 11/10, last around 03/18. For 20°F: 12/23 to 02/01.
How cold Gillespie County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 36°F; the coldest month, January, averages 34°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34°F | 38°F | 46°F | 53°F | 62°F | 68°F | 70°F | 70°F | 64°F | 54°F | 44°F | 36°F |
Gillespie County next to its neighbours
Llano County, TX, 49 km northeast, gets 6 nights below 20°F to Gillespie County's 5 nights. Kendall County, TX, 48 km southeast, gets 3 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gillespie County, TX | - | 42 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
| Kendall County, TX | 48 km southeast | 41 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Llano County, TX | 49 km northeast | 50 nights | 6 nights | 34°F |
| Kerr County, TX | 49 km southwest | 63 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Mason County, TX | 51 km northwest | 50 nights | 5 nights | 34°F |
| Blanco County, TX | 52 km east | 42 nights | 4 nights | 35°F |
| Bandera County, TX | 70 km southwest | 45 nights | 3 nights | 35°F |
Gillespie County within TX
Gillespie County ranks 131 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 1,994 ft, Gillespie County sits 1,002 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 Fredericksburg, TX, 10 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.