Will Pipes Freeze in Orange County, TX? under 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Orange County
In a normal year Orange County, TX gets under 1 night at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 3% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 13 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | under 1 night |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Month by month
Nights at or below 20°F in a normal year.
First 32°F night is usually around 11/23, last around 02/28. For 20°F: 01/09 to 01/14.
How cold Orange County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 44°F; the coldest month, January, averages 42°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42°F | 46°F | 52°F | 58°F | 66°F | 72°F | 74°F | 74°F | 69°F | 59°F | 50°F | 44°F |
Orange County next to its neighbours
Jasper County, TX, 71 km north, gets 1 night below 20°F to Orange County's under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County, TX | - | 13 nights | under 1 night | 42°F |
| Jefferson County, TX | 39 km southwest | 9 nights | under 1 night | 43°F |
| Calcasieu Parish, LA | 53 km east | 18 nights | under 1 night | 42°F |
| Hardin County, TX | 53 km northwest | 25 nights | under 1 night | 40°F |
| Jasper County, TX | 71 km north | 29 nights | 1 night | 38°F |
| Newton County, TX | 75 km north | 28 nights | 1 night | 39°F |
| Cameron Parish, LA | 76 km east | 8 nights | under 1 night | 44°F |
Orange County within TX
Orange County ranks 223 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 14 ft, Orange County sits 978 ft below the state's median county elevation of 992 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
Why rare cold catches people out - freezes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Orange (9 mi N), TX, 19 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.