Will Pipes Freeze in Wharton County, TX? under 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Wharton County
In a normal year Wharton County, TX gets under 1 night at or below 20°F, the point where bare pipes in a garage, attic or outside wall start to freeze. That is more than 4% of US counties.
Risk level: Rare.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 12 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | under 1 night |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | none |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Month by month
Nights at or below 20°F in a normal year.
First 32°F night is usually around 12/05, last around 02/23. For 20°F: 01/06 to 01/11.
How cold Wharton County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 45°F; the coldest month, January, averages 42°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42°F | 46°F | 53°F | 59°F | 67°F | 73°F | 74°F | 74°F | 70°F | 60°F | 51°F | 45°F |
Wharton County next to its neighbours
Colorado County, TX, 44 km northwest, gets 1 night below 20°F to Wharton County's under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wharton County, TX | - | 12 nights | under 1 night | 42°F |
| Colorado County, TX | 44 km northwest | 22 nights | 1 night | 40°F |
| Jackson County, TX | 50 km southwest | 7 nights | under 1 night | 45°F |
| Fort Bend County, TX | 52 km northeast | 9 nights | under 1 night | 44°F |
| Matagorda County, TX | 60 km south | 6 nights | under 1 night | 44°F |
| Lavaca County, TX | 68 km west | 13 nights | under 1 night | 44°F |
| Austin County, TX | 68 km north | 13 nights | under 1 night | 41°F |
Wharton County within TX
Wharton County ranks 218 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 112 ft, Wharton County sits 881 ft below 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.
A few nights a year catches houses that were never built for it: pipes 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 El Campo, TX, 9 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.