Will Pipes Freeze in Hill County, TX? 3 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Hill County
In a normal year Hill 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 13% 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 | 37 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 11/10, last around 03/21. For 20°F: 12/23 to 02/07.
How cold Hill County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 36°F; the coldest month, January, 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 | 53°F | 62°F | 70°F | 73°F | 73°F | 66°F | 55°F | 44°F | 36°F |
Hill County next to its neighbours
Bosque County, TX, 49 km west, gets 5 nights below 20°F to Hill County's 3 nights. Navarro County, TX, 62 km east, gets 3 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hill County, TX | - | 37 nights | 3 nights | 34°F |
| McLennan County, TX | 49 km south | 36 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Bosque County, TX | 49 km west | 51 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Johnson County, TX | 49 km northwest | 40 nights | 4 nights | 33°F |
| Ellis County, TX | 51 km northeast | 36 nights | 3 nights | 35°F |
| Navarro County, TX | 62 km east | 32 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Somervell County, TX | 66 km northwest | 61 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
Hill County within TX
Hill County ranks 149 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 602 ft, Hill County sits 391 ft below 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.
Which pipe gets which threshold: the 32, 20, 10 and 0 rule.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Hillsboro, TX, 4 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.