Will Pipes Freeze in Ward County, TX? 9 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Ward County
In a normal year Ward County, TX gets 9 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 24% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs November to March, worst in December.
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 | 9 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 9 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 04/03. For 20°F: 12/04 to 02/14.
How cold Ward County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 33°F | 40°F | 48°F | 59°F | 68°F | 70°F | 69°F | 62°F | 50°F | 37°F | 29°F |
Ward County next to its neighbours
Winkler County, TX, 36 km north, gets 10 nights below 20°F to Ward County's 9 nights. Crane County, TX, 59 km east, gets 5 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ward County, TX | - | 67 nights | 9 nights | 29°F |
| Winkler County, TX | 36 km north | 73 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
| Loving County, TX | 57 km northwest | 71 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
| Crane County, TX | 59 km east | 52 nights | 5 nights | 32°F |
| Reeves County, TX | 62 km west | 68 nights | 7 nights | 30°F |
| Ector County, TX | 66 km northeast | 53 nights | 5 nights | 32°F |
| Pecos County, TX | 90 km southeast | 36 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
Ward County within TX
Ward County ranks 81 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 2,631 ft, Ward County sits 1,638 ft above the state's median county elevation of 992 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Which pipe gets which threshold: the 32, 20, 10 and 0 rule.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Monahans, TX, 19 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. What a "fair" or "distant" station match means is in the method guide.