Will Pipes Freeze in Hockley County, TX? 20 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Hockley County
In a normal year Hockley County, TX gets 20 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 37% 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 | 99 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 20 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 3 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 20 nights of risk to 3 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 11/01, last around 04/09. For 20°F: 11/30 to 02/28.
How cold Hockley County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°F; the coldest month, January, averages 25°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: 3 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 28°F | 35°F | 43°F | 53°F | 63°F | 66°F | 64°F | 57°F | 45°F | 34°F | 27°F |
Hockley County next to its neighbours
Cochran County, TX, 45 km west, gets 27 nights below 20°F to Hockley County's 20 nights. Terry County, TX, 48 km south, gets 15 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hockley County, TX | - | 99 nights | 20 nights | 25°F |
| Cochran County, TX | 45 km west | 106 nights | 27 nights | 24°F |
| Terry County, TX | 48 km south | 89 nights | 15 nights | 27°F |
| Lubbock County, TX | 48 km east | 80 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Lamb County, TX | 51 km north | 112 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Yoakum County, TX | 67 km southwest | 99 nights | 23 nights | 25°F |
| Lynn County, TX | 68 km southeast | 80 nights | 12 nights | 28°F |
Hockley County within TX
Hockley County ranks 30 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 3,523 ft, Hockley County sits 2,530 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Levelland, TX, 7 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.