Will Pipes Freeze in McLennan County, TX? 3 nights a Year
Freeze nights in McLennan County
In a normal year McLennan 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 January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 36 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 3 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 3 nights of risk to none. 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 11/20, last around 03/09. For 20°F: 01/03 to 01/23.
How cold McLennan County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 38°F; the coldest month, January, averages 36°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 40°F | 47°F | 54°F | 64°F | 71°F | 75°F | 74°F | 67°F | 56°F | 46°F | 38°F |
McLennan County next to its neighbours
Bosque County, TX, 57 km northwest, gets 5 nights below 20°F to McLennan County's 3 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLennan County, TX | - | 36 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Falls County, TX | 42 km southeast | 38 nights | 3 nights | 34°F |
| Hill County, TX | 49 km north | 37 nights | 3 nights | 34°F |
| Bosque County, TX | 57 km northwest | 51 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Limestone County, TX | 58 km east | 34 nights | 3 nights | 35°F |
| Coryell County, TX | 59 km west | 42 nights | 5 nights | 36°F |
| Bell County, TX | 62 km southwest | 33 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
McLennan County within TX
McLennan County ranks 153 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 572 ft, McLennan County sits 421 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.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Waco Dam, TX, 6 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.