Will Pipes Freeze in Roberts County, TX? 35 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Roberts County
In a normal year Roberts 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 | 113 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 35 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 6 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 6 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 10/26, last around 04/16. For 20°F: 11/22 to 03/08.
How cold Roberts 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: 6 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 | 34°F | 42°F | 52°F | 63°F | 67°F | 65°F | 58°F | 45°F | 32°F | 24°F |
Roberts County next to its neighbours
Ochiltree County, TX, 49 km north, gets 44 nights below 20°F to Roberts County's 35 nights. Hutchinson County, TX, 47 km west, gets 22 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roberts County, TX | - | 113 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Hutchinson County, TX | 47 km west | 91 nights | 22 nights | 26°F |
| Gray County, TX | 49 km south | 103 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Ochiltree County, TX | 49 km north | 129 nights | 44 nights | 24°F |
| Hemphill County, TX | 50 km east | 118 nights | 42 nights | 21°F |
| Carson County, TX | 67 km southwest | 121 nights | 39 nights | 24°F |
| Hansford County, TX | 67 km northwest | 127 nights | 44 nights | 21°F |
Roberts County within TX
Roberts County ranks 16 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 2,782 ft, Roberts County sits 1,790 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 Miami, TX, 24 km away (fair 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.