Will Pipes Freeze in Starr County, TX? No Normal Risk Nights
Freeze nights in Starr County
A normal winter in Starr County, TX never drops to 20°F, the point where bare pipes in unheated space start to freeze.
Risk level: No normal risk nights.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 4 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | none |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Month by month
Nights at or below 20°F in a normal year.
First 32°F night is usually around 12/17, last around 01/31.
How cold Starr County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 48°F; the coldest month, January, averages 46°F overnight. 3 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46°F | 51°F | 57°F | 63°F | 70°F | 75°F | 75°F | 76°F | 72°F | 64°F | 55°F | 48°F |
Starr County next to its neighbours
The six closest counties all sit within a night of Starr County.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starr County, TX | - | 4 nights | none | 46°F |
| Hidalgo County, TX | 58 km east | 3 nights | under 1 night | 48°F |
| Jim Hogg County, TX | 58 km north | 7 nights | under 1 night | 46°F |
| Zapata County, TX | 68 km northwest | 4 nights | none | 47°F |
| Brooks County, TX | 77 km northeast | 9 nights | under 1 night | 44°F |
| Willacy County, TX | 114 km east | 2 nights | none | 49°F |
| Kenedy County, TX | 121 km east | 10 nights | under 1 night | 45°F |
Starr County within TX
Starr County ranks 247 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 470 ft, Starr County sits 523 ft below the state's median county elevation of 992 ft.
What to do here
- Disconnect hoses in a cold snap; no routine prep needed.
Why the rare freeze catches houses unprepared: freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Rio Grande City, TX, 19 km away (fair 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.