Will Pipes Freeze in Harris County, TX? under 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Harris County
In a normal year Harris County, TX gets under 1 night at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 2% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 7 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | under 1 night |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Month by month
Nights at or below 20°F in a normal year.
First 32°F night is usually around 12/09, last around 02/13.
How cold Harris County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 46°F; the coldest month, January, averages 44°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44°F | 48°F | 54°F | 61°F | 68°F | 74°F | 76°F | 76°F | 71°F | 62°F | 52°F | 46°F |
Harris County next to its neighbours
The six closest counties all sit within a night of Harris County.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County, TX | - | 7 nights | under 1 night | 44°F |
| Montgomery County, TX | 50 km north | 19 nights | under 1 night | 41°F |
| Fort Bend County, TX | 52 km southwest | 9 nights | under 1 night | 44°F |
| Waller County, TX | 59 km west | 17 nights | under 1 night | 41°F |
| Liberty County, TX | 63 km northeast | 15 nights | under 1 night | 41°F |
| Chambers County, TX | 72 km east | 11 nights | under 1 night | 43°F |
| Brazoria County, TX | 77 km south | 6 nights | none | 47°F |
Harris County within TX
Harris County ranks 237 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 73 ft, Harris County sits 920 ft below the state's median county elevation of 992 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
A few nights a year catches houses that were never built for it: pipes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Houston Intercont Airport, TX, 14 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.