Will Pipes Freeze in Eddy County, NM? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Eddy County
In a normal year Eddy County, NM 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 February, worst in January.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 75 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 | under 1 night |
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 11/08, last around 03/25. For 20°F: 12/08 to 02/04.
How cold Eddy County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 29°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29°F | 33°F | 40°F | 47°F | 57°F | 66°F | 70°F | 68°F | 61°F | 49°F | 37°F | 29°F |
Eddy County next to its neighbours
Chaves County, NM, 102 km north, gets 29 nights below 20°F to Eddy County's 10 nights. Loving County, TX, 98 km southeast, gets 10 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eddy County, NM | - | 75 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
| Lea County, NM | 92 km northeast | 68 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Loving County, TX | 98 km southeast | 71 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
| Chaves County, NM | 102 km north | 107 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Culberson County, TX | 114 km south | 57 nights | 9 nights | 33°F |
| Otero County, NM | 137 km west | 114 nights | 26 nights | 25°F |
| Winkler County, TX | 137 km southeast | 73 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
Eddy County within NM
Eddy County ranks 29 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 3,352 ft, Eddy County sits 2,252 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 Brantley Dam, NM, 10 km away (close match). A normal year, not tonight's forecast: check the forecast low for the night itself. How a county figure is built from stations: how the numbers are made.