Will Pipes Freeze in Quay County, NM? 29 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Quay County
In a normal year Quay County, NM gets 29 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 45% 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 | 106 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 29 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 29 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 10/26, last around 04/18. For 20°F: 11/21 to 03/07.
How cold Quay County nights get
Average winter (Dec-Feb) low: 25°F; the coldest month, January, averages 24°F overnight. 7 months normally bring at least one night below 32°F (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24°F | 27°F | 34°F | 42°F | 51°F | 62°F | 66°F | 65°F | 57°F | 44°F | 33°F | 25°F |
Quay County next to its neighbours
Curry County, NM, 62 km south, gets 30 nights below 20°F to Quay County's 29 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quay County, NM | - | 106 nights | 29 nights | 24°F |
| Curry County, NM | 62 km south | 112 nights | 30 nights | 23°F |
| Deaf Smith County, TX | 88 km east | 120 nights | 36 nights | 22°F |
| Harding County, NM | 88 km north | 135 nights | 46 nights | 21°F |
| Oldham County, TX | 92 km east | 123 nights | 41 nights | 21°F |
| Parmer County, TX | 95 km southeast | 118 nights | 35 nights | 23°F |
| De Baca County, NM | 112 km southwest | 115 nights | 35 nights | 24°F |
Quay County within NM
Quay County ranks 24 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 4,016 ft, Quay County sits 1,589 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 Tucumcari Municipal Airport, 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.