Will Pipes Freeze in Montague County, TX? 12 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Montague County
In a normal year Montague County, TX gets 12 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 28% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 63 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 12 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 12 nights of risk to 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 11/08, last around 03/24. For 20°F: 12/18 to 02/15.
How cold Montague County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 32°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°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: 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 34°F | 42°F | 51°F | 60°F | 69°F | 73°F | 72°F | 64°F | 52°F | 41°F | 33°F |
Montague County next to its neighbours
Love County, OK, 54 km northeast, gets 13 nights below 20°F to Montague County's 12 nights. Clay County, TX, 47 km west, gets 10 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montague County, TX | - | 63 nights | 12 nights | 30°F |
| Clay County, TX | 47 km west | 70 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
| Cooke County, TX | 48 km east | 58 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Jefferson County, OK | 49 km north | 62 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Wise County, TX | 51 km south | 61 nights | 10 nights | 32°F |
| Love County, OK | 54 km northeast | 67 nights | 13 nights | 29°F |
| Jack County, TX | 65 km southwest | 56 nights | 9 nights | 30°F |
Montague County within TX
Montague County ranks 53 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 1,020 ft, Montague County sits close to 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Bonita (7 mi NW), TX, 16 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. Why elevation is part of the blend: how county numbers are made.