Will Pipes Freeze in Shelby County, TX? 3 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Shelby County
In a normal year Shelby County, TX gets 3 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 13% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs January to January, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 42 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 3 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 3 nights of risk to none. 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 11/15, last around 03/13. For 20°F: 01/03 to 01/24.
How cold Shelby County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 37°F; the coldest month, January, averages 36°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36°F | 39°F | 46°F | 53°F | 62°F | 69°F | 72°F | 71°F | 65°F | 53°F | 43°F | 37°F |
Shelby County next to its neighbours
Panola County, TX, 44 km north, gets 2 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County, TX | - | 42 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Panola County, TX | 44 km north | 39 nights | 2 nights | 36°F |
| San Augustine County, TX | 45 km south | 37 nights | 2 nights | 36°F |
| De Soto Parish, LA | 48 km northeast | 39 nights | 2 nights | 36°F |
| Nacogdoches County, TX | 49 km southwest | 41 nights | 2 nights | 36°F |
| Sabine County, TX | 57 km southeast | 33 nights | 2 nights | 37°F |
| Sabine Parish, LA | 61 km southeast | 37 nights | 2 nights | 36°F |
Shelby County within TX
Shelby County ranks 152 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 320 ft, Shelby County sits 673 ft below 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.
Which pipe gets which threshold: the 32, 20, 10 and 0 rule.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Center, TX, 3 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. What a "fair" or "distant" station match means is in the method guide.