Will Pipes Freeze in Somervell County, TX? 8 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Somervell County
In a normal year Somervell County, TX gets 8 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 24% 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 | 61 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 8 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 8 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 11/07, last around 03/28. For 20°F: 12/19 to 02/06.
How cold Somervell County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 34°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: under 1 night a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 36°F | 43°F | 52°F | 62°F | 69°F | 73°F | 72°F | 64°F | 52°F | 42°F | 34°F |
Somervell County next to its neighbours
Bosque County, TX, 37 km south, gets 5 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somervell County, TX | - | 61 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Hood County, TX | 24 km north | 59 nights | 8 nights | 31°F |
| Bosque County, TX | 37 km south | 51 nights | 5 nights | 33°F |
| Johnson County, TX | 42 km northeast | 40 nights | 4 nights | 33°F |
| Erath County, TX | 43 km west | 54 nights | 7 nights | 31°F |
| Parker County, TX | 62 km north | 60 nights | 8 nights | 32°F |
| Hamilton County, TX | 65 km southwest | 48 nights | 6 nights | 33°F |
Somervell County within TX
Somervell County ranks 88 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 762 ft, Somervell County sits 230 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.
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 Rainbow, TX, 8 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.