Will Pipes Freeze in Val Verde County, TX? 2 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Val Verde County
In a normal year Val Verde County, TX gets 2 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 10% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare. The risk season runs December to February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 37 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 2 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 2 nights of risk to none. 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 11/16, last around 03/10. For 20°F: 12/27 to 01/16.
How cold Val Verde County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 37°F; the coldest month, January, averages 35°F overnight. 5 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35°F | 39°F | 48°F | 55°F | 64°F | 71°F | 74°F | 73°F | 67°F | 57°F | 45°F | 37°F |
Val Verde County next to its neighbours
Sutton County, TX, 94 km northeast, gets 11 nights below 20°F to Val Verde County's 2 nights. Kinney County, TX, 91 km southeast, gets 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Val Verde County, TX | - | 37 nights | 2 nights | 35°F |
| Edwards County, TX | 81 km east | 33 nights | 2 nights | 37°F |
| Kinney County, TX | 91 km southeast | 24 nights | 1 night | 38°F |
| Sutton County, TX | 94 km northeast | 67 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
| Crockett County, TX | 97 km north | 65 nights | 8 nights | 30°F |
| Terrell County, TX | 98 km northwest | 32 nights | 2 nights | 35°F |
| Schleicher County, TX | 128 km northeast | 56 nights | 7 nights | 32°F |
Val Verde County within TX
Val Verde County ranks 174 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 1,638 ft, Val Verde County sits 645 ft above the state's median county elevation of 992 ft.
What to do here
- Watch the forecast for a sub-threshold night.
- That night: drip the faucet on an outside wall, open the sink cabinet.
Why rare cold catches people out - freezes in places that rarely freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Hudspeth Rvr Rch, 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.