Will Pipes Freeze in Luna County, NM? 14 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Luna County
In a normal year Luna County, NM gets 14 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 30% of US counties.
Risk level: Regular. The risk season runs November to February, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 90 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 14 nights |
| Insulated pipe in unheated space | 10°F | under 1 night |
| Inside the heated house | 0°F | none |
Foam-sleeving a bare pipe in unheated space takes it from 14 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 11/03, last around 04/07. For 20°F: 12/06 to 02/06.
How cold Luna County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 29°F; the coldest month, January, averages 28°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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28°F | 31°F | 36°F | 43°F | 51°F | 60°F | 66°F | 65°F | 58°F | 46°F | 34°F | 28°F |
Luna County next to its neighbours
Grant County, NM, 85 km northwest, gets 24 nights below 20°F to Luna County's 14 nights. Doña Ana County, NM, 88 km east, gets 8 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luna County, NM | - | 90 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Grant County, NM | 85 km northwest | 117 nights | 24 nights | 28°F |
| Doña Ana County, NM | 88 km east | 75 nights | 8 nights | 29°F |
| Hidalgo County, NM | 100 km west | 76 nights | 10 nights | 31°F |
| Sierra County, NM | 116 km northeast | 72 nights | 6 nights | 30°F |
| El Paso County, TX | 149 km east | 45 nights | 3 nights | 34°F |
| Greenlee County, AZ | 183 km northwest | 156 nights | 50 nights | 21°F |
Luna County within NM
Luna County ranks 28 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 4,271 ft, Luna County sits 1,334 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 Deming, NM, 8 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.