Will Pipes Freeze in Gray County, TX? 30 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Gray County
In a normal year Gray County, TX gets 30 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 45% 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 | 103 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 30 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 30 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 04/14. For 20°F: 11/23 to 03/08.
How cold Gray 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 | 35°F | 43°F | 53°F | 63°F | 67°F | 66°F | 58°F | 46°F | 34°F | 26°F |
Gray County next to its neighbours
Roberts County, TX, 49 km north, gets 35 nights below 20°F to Gray County's 30 nights. Donley County, TX, 50 km south, gets 29 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gray County, TX | - | 103 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Roberts County, TX | 49 km north | 113 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Carson County, TX | 49 km west | 121 nights | 39 nights | 24°F |
| Donley County, TX | 50 km south | 104 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Wheeler County, TX | 51 km east | 94 nights | 24 nights | 25°F |
| Hemphill County, TX | 67 km northeast | 118 nights | 42 nights | 21°F |
| Collingsworth County, TX | 69 km southeast | 83 nights | 17 nights | 27°F |
Gray County within TX
Gray County ranks 21 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 2,896 ft, Gray County sits 1,904 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Pampa #2, TX, 22 km away (fair 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.