Central Electric Cooperative, Inc. > Energy Efficiency Blog > 2022/2023 Heating Degree Days

2022/2023 Heating Degree Days

Mature Woman Adjusting Wall Mounted Digital Central Heating Thermostat Control At HomeBy Alex Pajunen
Energy Specialist

Now that winter is over, and we say goodbye to the snow we wanted to take a minute to review this season’s heating degree days.  What is a degree day? A degree day is one degree difference up or down from 65 degrees, which is considered a temperature that is comfortable for most people and they are not turning their heating or cooling systems on.

Calculating a HDD: (65° – Average of the high and low temperature for the day in °F) = Number of Heating Degree Days

The number of Heating Degree Days (HDD) is a measure of how cold the temperature was on a given day or during a period of days. For example, a day with an average temperature of 40° has a 25 HDD. Two such days in a row have a total of 50 HDD for that two-day period.

So now that we know what a HDD day is, let’s take a look at our winter months.

  • November
    • Had a total HHD of 906
    • Was 15% colder than the average November
    • Was the coldest November we’ve had since 2015
  • December
    • Had a total HHD of 1095
    • Was 8% colder than the average December
    • Was the coldest December we’ve had since 2017, otherwise known as the Snowmageddon year
  • January
    • Had a total HHD of 933
    • Was average when compared to the last decade, but 11% colder than last year
    • Was the coldest January we’ve had since 2017, aka Snowmageddon
  • February
    • Had a total HHD of 810
    • Was 5% colder compared to last year
    • This February’s temperature was average when compared to the last decade

So why is all of this information important to you? Essentially, the colder the outside air temperature is, the more energy it takes to heat your home. Understanding the number of Heating Degree Days (HDD) in a billing period will give an indication of energy consumption required for your HVAC system. This is especially helpful when comparing your electric bills from one month to another.

As an added tool you can compare your daily usage to the outside temperature by using CEC’s online account portal, Smart Hub. This will help keep you informed about your electricity use, so you won’t have any bill surprises. For more information on how to register you can visit our website at www.cec.coop to sign up for your online account or talk with a customer service representative at 541-548-2144.