Will Pipes Freeze in Taylor County, TX? 11 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Taylor County
In a normal year Taylor 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 December to March, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 62 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 11 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 2 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 11 nights of risk to 2 nights. 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 04/02. For 20°F: 12/06 to 02/27.
How cold Taylor 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). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February: 2 nights a year, and none below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31°F | 34°F | 42°F | 49°F | 59°F | 67°F | 71°F | 70°F | 63°F | 52°F | 40°F | 33°F |
Taylor County next to its neighbours
Callahan County, TX, 49 km east, gets 7 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taylor County, TX | - | 62 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Callahan County, TX | 49 km east | 54 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
| Nolan County, TX | 50 km west | 62 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Jones County, TX | 50 km north | 56 nights | 8 nights | 29°F |
| Runnels County, TX | 51 km south | 54 nights | 6 nights | 31°F |
| Coleman County, TX | 67 km southeast | 48 nights | 6 nights | 34°F |
| Fisher County, TX | 69 km northwest | 55 nights | 7 nights | 33°F |
Taylor County within TX
Taylor County ranks 64 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 2,280 ft, Taylor County sits 1,288 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 Merkel (12 mi SW), TX, 22 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.