Will Pipes Freeze in Sutton County, TX? 11 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Sutton County
In a normal year Sutton County, TX gets 11 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 27% 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 | 67 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 11 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 11 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 11/06, last around 04/01. For 20°F: 12/11 to 02/11.
How cold Sutton 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 35°F | 43°F | 51°F | 61°F | 69°F | 71°F | 70°F | 63°F | 52°F | 41°F | 32°F |
Sutton County next to its neighbours
Schleicher County, TX, 42 km north, gets 7 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sutton County, TX | - | 67 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Schleicher County, TX | 42 km north | 56 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Edwards County, TX | 63 km south | 33 nights | 2 nights | 37°F |
| Kimble County, TX | 74 km east | 61 nights | 9 nights | 32°F |
| Menard County, TX | 74 km northeast | 64 nights | 11 nights | 30°F |
| Crockett County, TX | 88 km west | 65 nights | 8 nights | 30°F |
| Val Verde County, TX | 94 km southwest | 37 nights | 2 nights | 35°F |
Sutton County within TX
Sutton County ranks 59 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 2,282 ft, Sutton County sits 1,289 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.
When to have the house ready: when freeze season starts.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Sonora, TX, 15 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.