Will Pipes Freeze in Curry County, NM? 30 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Curry County
In a normal year Curry County, NM gets 30 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 46% 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 | 112 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 30 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 5 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 30 nights of risk to 5 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 10/24, last around 04/20. For 20°F: 11/21 to 03/13.
How cold Curry County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 23°F overnight. 8 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, Dec). Nights below 10°F, cold enough to freeze insulated pipe in an unheated space, come in January, February, December: 5 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23°F | 26°F | 33°F | 40°F | 49°F | 59°F | 63°F | 62°F | 55°F | 44°F | 32°F | 25°F |
Curry County next to its neighbours
Parmer County, TX, 52 km east, gets 35 nights below 20°F to Curry County's 30 nights. Quay County, NM, 62 km north, gets 29 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curry County, NM | - | 112 nights | 30 nights | 23°F |
| Parmer County, TX | 52 km east | 118 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| Quay County, NM | 62 km north | 106 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Roosevelt County, NM | 63 km south | 109 nights | 32 nights | 24°F |
| Bailey County, TX | 73 km southeast | 125 nights | 43 nights | 21°F |
| Deaf Smith County, TX | 79 km northeast | 120 nights | 36 nights | 22°F |
| De Baca County, NM | 97 km west | 115 nights | 35 nights | 24°F |
Curry County within NM
Curry County ranks 23 of 33 NM counties for nights below 20°F. The most is Rio Arriba County, NM at 118 nights, with a 11°F average winter low. The fewest is Sierra County, NM: 6 nights, winter lows near 31°F. At 4,429 ft, Curry County sits 1,175 ft below the state's median county elevation of 5,604 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 Clovis (13 mi N), NM, 12 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.