Will Pipes Freeze in Johnson County, TX? 4 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Johnson County
In a normal year Johnson County, TX gets 4 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 15% 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 | 40 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 4 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 4 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 11/12, last around 03/17. For 20°F: 12/25 to 01/31.
How cold Johnson County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 35°F; the coldest month, January, averages 33°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33°F | 37°F | 44°F | 52°F | 62°F | 70°F | 72°F | 72°F | 65°F | 54°F | 44°F | 36°F |
Johnson County next to its neighbours
Somervell County, TX, 42 km southwest, gets 8 nights below 20°F to Johnson County's 4 nights. Tarrant County, TX, 44 km north, gets 3 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnson County, TX | - | 40 nights | 4 nights | 33°F |
| Somervell County, TX | 42 km southwest | 61 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Hood County, TX | 44 km west | 59 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Tarrant County, TX | 44 km north | 32 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Hill County, TX | 49 km southeast | 37 nights | 3 nights | 34°F |
| Ellis County, TX | 53 km east | 36 nights | 3 nights | 35°F |
| Bosque County, TX | 59 km southwest | 51 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
Johnson County within TX
Johnson County ranks 142 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 781 ft, Johnson County sits 211 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.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Cleburne, TX, 8 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.