Will Pipes Freeze in Lea County, NM? 10 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Lea County
In a normal year Lea 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 March, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 68 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 10 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 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 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 11/13, last around 03/28. For 20°F: 12/19 to 02/01.
How cold Lea County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 31°F; the coldest month, January, averages 30°F overnight. 6 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 33°F | 39°F | 46°F | 56°F | 65°F | 68°F | 67°F | 60°F | 50°F | 38°F | 30°F |
Lea County next to its neighbours
Yoakum County, TX, 68 km northeast, gets 23 nights below 20°F to Lea County's 10 nights. Andrews County, TX, 90 km southeast, gets 7 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lea County, NM | - | 68 nights | 10 nights | 30°F |
| Yoakum County, TX | 68 km northeast | 99 nights | 23 nights | 25°F |
| Gaines County, TX | 73 km east | 82 nights | 13 nights | 28°F |
| Andrews County, TX | 90 km southeast | 60 nights | 7 nights | 31°F |
| Eddy County, NM | 92 km southwest | 75 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
| Cochran County, TX | 105 km northeast | 106 nights | 27 nights | 24°F |
| Loving County, TX | 107 km south | 71 nights | 10 nights | 29°F |
Lea County within NM
Lea County ranks 30 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 3,899 ft, Lea County sits 1,706 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.
Why 20°F is the line for a garage pipe: how cold before pipes freeze.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Hobbs (13 mi W), NM, 11 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.