Will Pipes Freeze in Runnels County, TX? 6 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Runnels County
In a normal year Runnels County, TX gets 6 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 20% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 54 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 6 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 6 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 11/10, last around 03/22. For 20°F: 12/19 to 02/06.
How cold Runnels 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 | 51°F | 60°F | 68°F | 71°F | 71°F | 64°F | 52°F | 41°F | 32°F |
Runnels County next to its neighbours
Taylor County, TX, 51 km north, gets 11 nights below 20°F to Runnels County's 6 nights. Coleman County, TX, 61 km east, gets 6 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runnels County, TX | - | 54 nights | 6 nights | 31°F |
| Taylor County, TX | 51 km north | 62 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Concho County, TX | 60 km south | 65 nights | 12 nights | 31°F |
| Coleman County, TX | 61 km east | 48 nights | 6 nights | 34°F |
| Coke County, TX | 62 km west | 66 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Nolan County, TX | 66 km northwest | 62 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Tom Green County, TX | 67 km southwest | 54 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
Runnels County within TX
Runnels County ranks 107 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 1,749 ft, Runnels County sits 756 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.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Ballinger (2 mi NW), TX, 12 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.