Will Pipes Freeze in Real County, TX? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Real County
In a normal year Real County, TX gets 10 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 25% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs November to March, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 68 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 10 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 10 nights of risk to under 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 11/02, last around 04/05. For 20°F: 12/06 to 02/16.
How cold Real County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 33°F; the coldest month, January, averages 31°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 35°F | 43°F | 50°F | 60°F | 67°F | 69°F | 68°F | 61°F | 51°F | 41°F | 32°F |
Real County next to its neighbours
Edwards County, TX, 51 km west, gets 2 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Real County, TX | - | 68 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Edwards County, TX | 51 km west | 33 nights | 2 nights | 37°F |
| Kerr County, TX | 51 km northeast | 63 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Uvalde County, TX | 54 km south | 34 nights | 3 nights | 37°F |
| Bandera County, TX | 55 km east | 45 nights | 3 nights | 35°F |
| Kimble County, TX | 72 km north | 61 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
| Kinney County, TX | 79 km southwest | 24 nights | 1 night | 38°F |
Real County within TX
Real County ranks 76 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 2,060 ft, Real County sits 1,068 ft above the state's median county elevation of 992 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Whether foam sleeves are enough here: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Prade Rch, TX, 10 km away (close 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.