Will Pipes Freeze in Zavala County, TX? under 1 night a Year
Freeze nights in Zavala County
In a normal year Zavala 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 3% 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 12/10, last around 02/10.
How cold Zavala County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 44°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 | 47°F | 54°F | 61°F | 69°F | 74°F | 75°F | 75°F | 71°F | 62°F | 52°F | 44°F |
Zavala County next to its neighbours
Uvalde County, TX, 54 km north, gets 3 nights below 20°F to Zavala County's under 1 night.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zavala County, TX | - | 12 nights | under 1 night | 42°F |
| Dimmit County, TX | 49 km south | 21 nights | under 1 night | 39°F |
| Uvalde County, TX | 54 km north | 34 nights | 3 nights | 37°F |
| Maverick County, TX | 56 km west | 13 nights | under 1 night | 40°F |
| Frio County, TX | 63 km east | 11 nights | under 1 night | 42°F |
| Medina County, TX | 83 km northeast | 20 nights | under 1 night | 39°F |
| Kinney County, TX | 83 km northwest | 24 nights | 1 night | 38°F |
Zavala County within TX
Zavala County ranks 227 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 665 ft, Zavala County sits 327 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 Crystal City, TX, 22 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.