Will Pipes Freeze in Hays County, TX? 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Hays County
In a normal year Hays County, TX gets 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 7% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs January to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 25 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 1 night |
| 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 1 night 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 11/13, last around 03/17. For 20°F: 01/01 to 01/28.
How cold Hays County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 41°F; the coldest month, January, averages 39°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39°F | 43°F | 49°F | 56°F | 65°F | 71°F | 73°F | 72°F | 67°F | 58°F | 48°F | 41°F |
Hays County next to its neighbours
Blanco County, TX, 42 km northwest, gets 4 nights below 20°F to Hays County's 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hays County, TX | - | 25 nights | 1 night | 39°F |
| Comal County, TX | 35 km southwest | 23 nights | 1 night | 39°F |
| Travis County, TX | 38 km northeast | 30 nights | 1 night | 38°F |
| Blanco County, TX | 42 km northwest | 42 nights | 4 nights | 35°F |
| Caldwell County, TX | 46 km southeast | 30 nights | 1 night | 39°F |
| Guadalupe County, TX | 54 km south | 22 nights | under 1 night | 39°F |
| Kendall County, TX | 67 km west | 41 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
Hays County within TX
Hays County ranks 192 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 1,103 ft, Hays County sits 111 ft above 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 Dripping Springs (6 mi E), TX, 18 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.