Will Pipes Freeze in Wheeler County, TX? 24 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Wheeler County
In a normal year Wheeler County, TX gets 24 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 40% 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 | 94 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 24 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 4 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 24 nights of risk to 4 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 10/30, last around 04/09. For 20°F: 11/25 to 03/05.
How cold Wheeler County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 26°F; the coldest month, January, averages 25°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, December: 4 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25°F | 27°F | 35°F | 43°F | 53°F | 63°F | 68°F | 66°F | 59°F | 46°F | 35°F | 26°F |
Wheeler County next to its neighbours
Hemphill County, TX, 47 km north, gets 42 nights below 20°F to Wheeler County's 24 nights. Collingsworth County, TX, 48 km south, gets 17 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeler County, TX | - | 94 nights | 24 nights | 25°F |
| Hemphill County, TX | 47 km north | 118 nights | 42 nights | 21°F |
| Collingsworth County, TX | 48 km south | 83 nights | 17 nights | 27°F |
| Gray County, TX | 51 km west | 103 nights | 30 nights | 24°F |
| Beckham County, OK | 53 km east | 98 nights | 26 nights | 24°F |
| Roger Mills County, OK | 58 km northeast | 86 nights | 22 nights | 27°F |
| Donley County, TX | 71 km southwest | 104 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
Wheeler County within TX
Wheeler County ranks 26 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 2,515 ft, Wheeler County sits 1,522 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 Shamrock #2, TX, 20 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.