Will Pipes Freeze in Parmer County, TX? 35 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Parmer County
In a normal year Parmer County, TX gets 35 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 51% 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 | 118 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 35 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 35 nights of risk to 5 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 10/23, last around 04/22. For 20°F: 11/19 to 03/12.
How cold Parmer County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 24°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°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: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 25°F | 32°F | 39°F | 49°F | 59°F | 64°F | 62°F | 55°F | 42°F | 31°F | 24°F |
Parmer County next to its neighbours
Castro County, TX, 48 km east, gets 43 nights below 20°F to Parmer County's 35 nights. Curry County, NM, 52 km west, gets 30 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parmer County, TX | - | 118 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Castro County, TX | 48 km east | 130 nights | 43 nights | 22°F |
| Deaf Smith County, TX | 48 km north | 120 nights | 36 nights | 22°F |
| Curry County, NM | 52 km west | 112 nights | 30 nights | 23°F |
| Bailey County, TX | 52 km south | 125 nights | 43 nights | 21°F |
| Lamb County, TX | 65 km southeast | 112 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Roosevelt County, NM | 86 km southwest | 109 nights | 32 nights | 24°F |
Parmer County within TX
Parmer County ranks 17 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 4,064 ft, Parmer County sits 3,071 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 Friona, TX, 13 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. What a "fair" or "distant" station match means is in the method guide.