Will Pipes Freeze in Stephens County, TX? 13 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Stephens County
In a normal year Stephens County, TX gets 13 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 29% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs November to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 70 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 13 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 13 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 11/03, last around 04/04. For 20°F: 12/04 to 02/24.
How cold Stephens County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 30°F; the coldest month, January, averages 28°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 33°F | 41°F | 49°F | 59°F | 68°F | 71°F | 70°F | 62°F | 51°F | 39°F | 31°F |
Stephens County next to its neighbours
Eastland County, TX, 46 km south, gets 10 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephens County, TX | - | 70 nights | 13 nights | 28°F |
| Eastland County, TX | 46 km south | 65 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Shackelford County, TX | 47 km west | 59 nights | 9 nights | 31°F |
| Palo Pinto County, TX | 49 km east | 56 nights | 7 nights | 31°F |
| Young County, TX | 49 km north | 69 nights | 12 nights | 30°F |
| Throckmorton County, TX | 59 km northwest | 71 nights | 11 nights | 29°F |
| Callahan County, TX | 70 km southwest | 54 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
Stephens County within TX
Stephens County ranks 46 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 1,320 ft, Stephens County sits 328 ft above the state's median county elevation of 992 ft.
What to do here
- Insulate every pipe in unheated space before the season starts.
- Heat tape on the runs you cannot insulate well.
- Shut off and drain outdoor spigots for the season.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Breckenridge, TX, 6 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.