Will Pipes Freeze in Potter County, TX? 33 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Potter County
In a normal year Potter County, TX gets 33 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 49% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs October to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 115 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 33 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 4 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 33 nights of risk to 4 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 10/27, last around 04/13. For 20°F: 11/22 to 03/06.
How cold Potter 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, March, December: 4 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 26°F | 33°F | 41°F | 52°F | 62°F | 66°F | 65°F | 57°F | 44°F | 32°F | 24°F |
Potter County next to its neighbours
Moore County, TX, 49 km north, gets 37 nights below 20°F to Potter County's 33 nights. Randall County, TX, 48 km south, gets 30 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potter County, TX | - | 115 nights | 33 nights | 23°F |
| Randall County, TX | 48 km south | 107 nights | 30 nights | 23°F |
| Moore County, TX | 49 km north | 123 nights | 37 nights | 22°F |
| Carson County, TX | 49 km east | 121 nights | 39 nights | 24°F |
| Oldham County, TX | 64 km west | 123 nights | 41 nights | 21°F |
| Hutchinson County, TX | 68 km northeast | 91 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Armstrong County, TX | 69 km southeast | 116 nights | 36 nights | 23°F |
Potter County within TX
Potter County ranks 18 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 3,313 ft, Potter County sits 2,321 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Amarillo, TX, 25 km away (fair 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.