Will Pipes Freeze in Shackelford County, TX? 9 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Shackelford County
In a normal year Shackelford County, TX gets 9 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 December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 59 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 9 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 9 nights of risk to 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 11/08, last around 03/30. For 20°F: 12/16 to 02/11.
How cold Shackelford 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). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January: 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 35°F | 42°F | 50°F | 60°F | 68°F | 72°F | 70°F | 63°F | 52°F | 42°F | 33°F |
Shackelford County next to its neighbours
Stephens County, TX, 47 km east, gets 13 nights below 20°F to Shackelford County's 9 nights. Jones County, TX, 49 km west, gets 8 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shackelford County, TX | - | 59 nights | 9 nights | 31°F |
| Stephens County, TX | 47 km east | 70 nights | 13 nights | 28°F |
| Throckmorton County, TX | 49 km north | 71 nights | 11 nights | 29°F |
| Jones County, TX | 49 km west | 56 nights | 8 nights | 29°F |
| Callahan County, TX | 50 km south | 54 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Haskell County, TX | 60 km northwest | 63 nights | 8 nights | 29°F |
| Eastland County, TX | 67 km southeast | 65 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
Shackelford County within TX
Shackelford County ranks 78 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 1,553 ft, Shackelford County sits 561 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 Albany, TX, 6 km away (close 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.