Will Pipes Freeze in Lincoln County, NM? 40 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Lincoln County
In a normal year Lincoln County, NM gets 40 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 55% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs November to April, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 137 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 40 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | 6 nights |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | under 1 night |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 40 nights of risk to 6 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 10/12, last around 05/03. For 20°F: 11/12 to 03/26.
How cold Lincoln County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°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, March, December: 6 nights a year, and under 1 night below zero.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 27°F | 31°F | 37°F | 45°F | 53°F | 57°F | 56°F | 50°F | 39°F | 30°F | 24°F |
Lincoln County next to its neighbours
Torrance County, NM, 99 km northwest, gets 73 nights below 20°F to Lincoln County's 40 nights. Chaves County, NM, 100 km southeast, gets 29 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County, NM | - | 137 nights | 40 nights | 24°F |
| Torrance County, NM | 99 km northwest | 169 nights | 73 nights | 19°F |
| Chaves County, NM | 100 km southeast | 107 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| De Baca County, NM | 121 km northeast | 115 nights | 35 nights | 24°F |
| Otero County, NM | 128 km south | 114 nights | 26 nights | 25°F |
| Guadalupe County, NM | 140 km northeast | 117 nights | 33 nights | 24°F |
| Socorro County, NM | 140 km west | 128 nights | 44 nights | 22°F |
Lincoln County within NM
Lincoln County ranks 19 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 6,024 ft, Lincoln County sits 419 ft above 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 Capitan, NM, 27 km away (fair 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.