Frost Line Depth in Otero County, New Mexico
- 1 verified code nearby
- Checked Oct 2026
No official local value
No official frost line depth is published for Otero County.
Nearby official codes require 6 in (1 verified code).
Source and how we checked
We searched this place’s own code and website and found no published frost line depth.
Climate: 172 nights a year at or below 32 °F (NOAA 1991–2020, Cloudcroft, 23.4 mi).
Checked Oct 2026. Report a correction
Does Otero County have an official frost line depth?
No adopted frost line depth found for Otero County in its official documents (checked Oct 2026). The nearest official values, from codes we verified, are 6 in. Use the deepest of them until the building department confirms Otero County’s own number.
What frost line depth does Otero County use for footings under Table R301.2(1)? Is it 6 in, like Las Cruces?
How deep do footings, decks and water lines need to be in Otero County?
Drawn with the deepest nearby official value (6 in). Confirm Otero County’s own depth before you dig.
House or garage footing in Otero County: dig at least 12 in (30 cm). Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4).
| Project | Depth | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| House or garage footing | 12 in | Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4) |
| Deck footing (attached) | 12 in | Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R507.3) |
| Water service line | 12 in | 6 in below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC P2603.5) |
| Fence post bottom | 12 in | No code rule; common practice is below the frost line |
Work out posts, concrete and footing sizes with the fence post depth calculator or the deck footing calculator.
How cold does it get in Otero County?
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
Average lows are at or below freezing from Nov to Apr. 172 nights a year reach 32 °F or colder; Jan is coldest, with an average low of 19 °F.
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Cloudcroft station, 23.4 mi away, elevation 8,680 ft.
Monthly temperatures as a table
| °F | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low | 19 | 21.7 | 25.6 | 31.2 | 38.1 | 44.8 | 48 | 47.4 | 42.2 | 34 | 25.5 | 19.4 |
| High | 42.4 | 44.6 | 50.8 | 58 | 65.9 | 74.3 | 72.2 | 70.8 | 67.3 | 60.1 | 50.6 | 42.8 |
Otero County has more freezing nights than 15 of the 16 other New Mexico places we track. The New Mexico median is 124. Coldest: McKinley County; mildest: Lea County.
What frost line depth do towns near Otero County use?
One official code near Otero County is verified.
| Place | Verified frost line | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Las Cruces | 6 in | 64 mi away |
How likely is the soil in Otero County to heave?
USDA rates the sampled soil around Otero County as 100% none for frost action (main soils: Bissett).
USDA NRCS soil survey, 9 sample points within 2 mi. Higher frost action means more risk of heave; see frost heave.
Otero County at a glance
- Frost line depth
- No official local value
- Population (2023 est.)
- 68,835
- Mean annual temperature
- 45.7 °F
- ZIP codes (18)
- 79837 · 88081 · 88310 · 88311 · 88314 · 88317 · 88325 · 88330 · 88337 · 88339 · 88340 · 88342 · 88344 · 88347 · 88349 · 88350 · 88352 · 88354