Will Pipes Freeze in Sierra County, NM? 6 nights a Year
Freeze nights in Sierra County
In a normal year Sierra County, NM gets 6 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 19% of US counties.
Risk level: Occasional. The risk season runs December to February, worst in December.
It depends where the pipe is
| Pipe | Freezes near | Nights a year |
|---|---|---|
| Outdoor spigot, open crawlspace | 32°F | 72 nights |
| Bare pipe in garage, attic or outside wall | 20°F | 6 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 6 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 11/15, last around 03/13. For 20°F: 12/23 to 01/22.
How cold Sierra 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, Oct, Nov, Dec).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30°F | 34°F | 40°F | 48°F | 57°F | 66°F | 69°F | 68°F | 61°F | 50°F | 38°F | 30°F |
Sierra County next to its neighbours
Doña Ana County, NM, 92 km south, gets 8 nights below 20°F to Sierra County's 6 nights.
| County | Distance | Below 32°F | Below 20°F | Jan low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra County, NM | - | 72 nights | 6 nights | 30°F |
| Doña Ana County, NM | 92 km south | 75 nights | 8 nights | 29°F |
| Socorro County, NM | 100 km north | 128 nights | 44 nights | 22°F |
| Luna County, NM | 116 km southwest | 90 nights | 14 nights | 28°F |
| Grant County, NM | 119 km west | 117 nights | 24 nights | 28°F |
| Catron County, NM | 141 km northwest | 217 nights | 111 nights | 14°F |
| Otero County, NM | 145 km east | 114 nights | 26 nights | 25°F |
Sierra County within NM
Sierra County ranks 33 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. At 4,778 ft, Sierra County sits 826 ft below the state's median county elevation of 5,604 ft.
What to do here
- Keep a night-of routine: drip, open cabinets, keep the heat at 55F or above.
- Foam-sleeve any pipe in the garage or crawlspace once; it is cheap and lasts years.
Few hard nights means pipes are rarely built for them; see freezes in warm places.
Where this comes from
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals, blended from 3 nearby stations and adjusted for elevation; closest is Elephant Butte Dam, NM, 3 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.