Will Pipes Freeze in Motley County, TX? 14 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Motley County
In a normal year Motley County, TX gets 14 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 30% 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 | 72 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 14 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 14 nights of risk to 2 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 11/04, last around 04/05. For 20°F: 12/03 to 02/27.
How cold Motley County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 30°F; the coldest month, January, averages 28°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: 2 nights a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 30°F | 38°F | 46°F | 56°F | 65°F | 69°F | 68°F | 60°F | 49°F | 38°F | 30°F |
Motley County next to its neighbours
Floyd County, TX, 47 km west, gets 22 nights below 20°F to Motley County's 14 nights. Cottle County, TX, 48 km east, gets 13 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Motley County, TX | - | 72 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Floyd County, TX | 47 km west | 98 nights | 22 nights | 25°F |
| Cottle County, TX | 48 km east | 72 nights | 13 nights | 28°F |
| Hall County, TX | 48 km northeast | 79 nights | 14 nights | 27°F |
| Dickens County, TX | 49 km south | 86 nights | 16 nights | 27°F |
| Briscoe County, TX | 64 km northwest | 111 nights | 31 nights | 24°F |
| Crosby County, TX | 68 km southwest | 89 nights | 18 nights | 26°F |
Motley County within TX
Motley County ranks 43 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 2,329 ft, Motley County sits 1,337 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 Matador, TX, 4 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.