Why no snowbird schedule in NM?

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Mechelle said:
always avoiding snow

Speaking of 'snowbirds'...

Northeastern New Mexico is a winter wonderland this morning, as is the Texas Panhandle. I-40 is closed in several places.

Todays NM road closures:

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Webcam screen grabs from NMRoads for New Mexico:

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Texas Panhandle:

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BRRRR!
 

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tx2sturgis said:
Northeastern New Mexico is a winter wonderland this morning, as is the Texas Panhandle. I-40 is closed in several places.
I think I'm gonna spend winter in the area over near Palm Springs.
 
Currently freezing in the Twin Arrows Casino parking lot, midway between Winslow and Flagstaff...40 degrees but wind blowing at 30 mph....hope my propane holds out till tomorrow, when I'm heading south!!! NM is so beautiful, but the weather comes in microclimates. One spot may be gorgeous, whiteout in the next!

The Dire Wolfess
 
Got the general sense. Looking for the specific meaning to9 the OP.

What is the OP requesting? CRVL to include NM on the approved Caravan routes?

AZ is recommended on CRVL as moving about between summer and winter does not require great distances and accompanying fuel costs. Having a central base for storage close by year round.

And that RTR thing that happens in SW AZ every winter.
 
AMGS3 said:
Perhaps it's because of the (relative) coolness of the temperatures. The following is from https://weatherspark.com/y/3672/Average-Weather-in-Carlsbad-New-Mexico-United-States-Year-Round, referring to temps in Carlsbad.

The cold season lasts for 2.8 months, from November 22 to February 16, with an average daily high temperature below 65°F. The coldest day of the year is December 31, with an average low of 31°F and high of 57°F.
Sounds perfect to this Canadian gal!
 
That's what I thought too Dawnann. Sounds like the weather on a mild fall day.

I lived in the SW US (Phoenix/Mesa) area for 3 months years ago and it kind of turned me off to the whole region. Leaving town at midnight (the end of May) and all the bank clocks still read 110°F. Words cannot express how much I missed MN then. So now I'm thinking that the only way I'd visit the DSW region again would be NM. In the winter.

Reading this thread I think I may have thrown out the baby with the bathwater. And then they both instantly vanished, vaporized in the sweltering summer heat.

~angie

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QinReno said:
I think I'm gonna spend winter in the area over near Palm Springs.

That doesn't sound like a bad idea, Q.
 
wayne49

My meaning was why NM isn't traveled like AZ using elevation to remain in a mild climate through the seasons? The lowest elevation is near Carlsbad where the daytime temps in winter are about 10 degrees cooler than Quartzite.

That seems doable for most people to stay in their comfort zones.  I haven't hit the road yet, but have concerns with overcrowding in the classic AZ wintering spots that most people stay in.  I would think there would be a faction that prefers a less traveled alternative.
 
badmotorscooter said:
My meaning was why NM isn't traveled like AZ using elevation to remain in a mild climate through the seasons?  The lowest elevation is near Carlsbad where the daytime temps in winter are about 10 degrees cooler than Quartzite.

In New Mexico, the warmer areas in the winter tends to be the SW quadrant, along I-10 around Deming and Lordsburg. There are lots of snowbirds who winter in that area. Not to the point of over-crowding, but they are there in large numbers. There are even some activites geared towards the retirees in that area all year long.

It's not always just about elevation. The Carlsbad area is lower in elevation, but also, is more 'inland' and subject to different weather patterns in the winter, including some occasional winter conditions. 

And yes, there is plenty of BLM land, but there are also upward pressures on prices for lodging, RV spaces, and costs of goods, gasoline, food, etc, due to the booming Permian Basin oil economy in the area. Oilfield trucks are parked everywhere at night, including but not limited to, the Walmart parking lot. 

Due to the transient nature of some of the workers in this industry, there is a bit higher level of...let me say it this way, 'riff-raff'.

I like the Carlsbad area, but services and facilities for retired snowbirds are less important to the local economy than what you will find in some other areas.

On the other hand, if you want to work, there are plenty of jobs in the area, unless oil prices decline for awhile, then it's 'lay-off' city.
 
According to Wiki the average low temp for Deming NM in January is 27, Carlsbad NM 28, and Quartzsite AZ 40.  That is a significant difference for nighttime and early morning temps.

tx2sturgis thanks for the insight on the cost of goods/shopping in the Carlsbad area, a very important factor to consider.  Other than visiting the caverns, I never paid attention to the economy in the area.  And I have wondered if there are other areas that seem to be "RV friendly" like Quartzite has a reputation for.
 
I'm sure it has a lot to do with elevation, as far as winter goes.

- Carlsbad: 3295'
- Las Cruces: 3900'
- Deming: 4335'
- Silver City: 5895'

- Quartzsite: 879'
- Yuma: 141'
- Palm Springs: 479'
 
Yep, I just registered an indoor temp of 27° in my trailer (ran out of propane), due west of Albuquerque. I hate hot weather, but cold requires too much management also. Something in between, say, around 65°F year round.....[emoji1787]

The Dire Wolfess
 
That looks like fun. I love looking at Christmas decorations


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My impression driving through NM on I25 from Trinidad, CO (Walmart allows overnight parking) down to I10 to Yuma, is that NM is generally higher elevation than AZ along the I10 stretch.

It was late April 2017 and I camped out one night a ways off of I10 northwest of Deming. Tolerable nighttime temps, but that wasn't January. Though much more tolerable than Trinidad, CO.

I also use city-data to check historical local weather patterns and other demographic information about a locality.

NM would have its place on a migration route coming from/going to SE CO to/from SW AZ.
 
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