Will Pipes Freeze in Hutchinson County, TX? 22 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Hutchinson County
In a normal year Hutchinson County, TX gets 22 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 38% 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 | 91 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 22 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 4 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 22 nights of risk to 4 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 11/02, last around 04/06. For 20°F: 11/30 to 02/28.
How cold Hutchinson County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 27°F; the coldest month, January, averages 26°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: 4 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26°F | 29°F | 36°F | 44°F | 55°F | 64°F | 69°F | 67°F | 60°F | 47°F | 35°F | 27°F |
Hutchinson County next to its neighbours
Roberts County, TX, 47 km east, gets 35 nights below 20°F to Hutchinson County's 22 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hutchinson County, TX | - | 91 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Roberts County, TX | 47 km east | 113 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Moore County, TX | 48 km west | 123 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
| Carson County, TX | 48 km south | 121 nights | 39 nights | 24°F |
| Hansford County, TX | 48 km north | 127 nights | 44 nights | 21°F |
| Potter County, TX | 68 km southwest | 115 nights | 33 nights | 23°F |
| Sherman County, TX | 69 km northwest | 132 nights | 45 nights | 21°F |
Hutchinson County within TX
Hutchinson County ranks 28 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 3,080 ft, Hutchinson County sits 2,088 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 Borger Hutchinson County Airport, TX, 16 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.