Will Pipes Freeze in Wise County, TX? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Wise County
In a normal year Wise County, TX gets 10 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 26% 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 | 61 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 10 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 10 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 11/11, last around 03/20. For 20°F: 12/21 to 02/03.
How cold Wise County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 34°F; the coldest month, January, averages 32°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32°F | 36°F | 44°F | 52°F | 62°F | 70°F | 73°F | 73°F | 65°F | 53°F | 42°F | 34°F |
Wise County next to its neighbours
Montague County, TX, 51 km north, gets 12 nights below 20°F to Wise County's 10 nights. Jack County, TX, 48 km west, gets 9 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise County, TX | - | 61 nights | 10 nights | 32°F |
| Jack County, TX | 48 km west | 56 nights | 9 nights | 30°F |
| Denton County, TX | 50 km east | 39 nights | 4 nights | 34°F |
| Parker County, TX | 51 km south | 60 nights | 8 nights | 32°F |
| Montague County, TX | 51 km north | 63 nights | 12 nights | 30°F |
| Tarrant County, TX | 60 km southeast | 32 nights | 3 nights | 36°F |
| Cooke County, TX | 62 km northeast | 58 nights | 11 nights | 31°F |
Wise County within TX
Wise County ranks 68 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 809 ft, Wise County sits 184 ft below 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.
What insulating actually removes here, and when heat tape is needed: insulate or heat tape?.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Decatur, TX, 3 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.