Albuquerque in...April (Bernalillo: house, taxes, live)

[GregW]

After reading all these posts about spring in New Mexico I cannot for the life of me figure out why I would want to exchange a spring in New Hampshire for all that warmth. Where out there could I find the freezing rain and bitterly cold northwest winds currently infesting my home.

[ABQSunseeker]

Another great monthly description EnjoyEP. Weather here has been beautiful for weeks, a little cooler yesterday and this morning. While I prefer warmer months, there's nothing to complain about. Spring and April are beautiful here.
P.S. Maybe we shouldn't tell so many people how nice it is.

[Tim Rankin]

Originally Posted by ABQSunseeker

P.S. Maybe we shouldn't tell so many people how nice it is.

When we were voting on the "best" month out here, the rebel in me went with December. But if I could, I would seriously consider changing to April. It's just one perfect day after another...

[mortimer]

Driving up Academy with the sun shining through the new leaves and blooms on the flowering trees - Redbud, Cherry, et al makes me want to rub it in all your faces - you out-of-staters - pining for NM.

I will refrain because although I'm a jerk, I'm not *that* much of a jerk.

....

Trust me, it really is lovely. Almost as lovely as the fall colors of October, our #1 month in another thread.

[Tim Rankin]

8:40pm and it's still 61F out! Here are two sunset pics from our roof, earlier tonight. Mt. Taylor is in the distance.

[yukon]

***note to self: take camera today!***


BTW, are we past our last freeze date yet? Wondering if I'll have to bring in the hanging baskets if I buy some today.....

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by Tim Rankin

When we were voting on the "best" month out here, the rebel in me went with December.

I don't think that is rebellious at all! Contrary to the few Bahama-ins that frequent this forum and complain about the "arctic" Albuquerque December (they would looooovvvvveeee Chicago or Denver or Seattle or NYC or Minneapolis in the winter then), Albuquerque's winters are a slice of heaven.

Temps often in the high 40s, 50s, low 60s, bright/warm/shining sun. The faralitos / luminarias. The Old Town Christmas stuff. Posole. Tamales. Pinon burning. Golf on Christmas with cold-ish nights for spiced hot chocolate.

December in ABQ rules and is highly underrated.

TR, you were not a rebel - you were 'speakin' the truth!!

Originally Posted by Tim Rankin

But if I could, I would seriously consider changing to April. It's just one perfect day after another...

That, my friend, is why I voted for April and gave a long, EnjoyEP-esque rambling post in the favorite month thread of why I love April in ABQ. April in ABQ is so perfect. Wind-schmind, ABQeans are so spoiled when they complain about April - April in ABQ > most anywhere else.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by ziaAirmac

Maybe it's part of enjoying being able to be out after winter (I was comfortably in shorts a few days last week).

ziaAirmac - You are already easily one of my favorite posters here on the ABQ forums and offer just terrific insights, so take this as good-naturedly as humanly possible!

But to a fellow in Wisconsin - again, when I hear ABQeans say things like this about Albuquerque's winter (such as "finally being able to be out after winter"), I have to give you a little good-natured grief.

My distant relatives who reside in ABQ (my father's cousin and her husband who are in their low-70s) always say things like this too. "How cold it has been in ABQ this winter", etc., etc., etc.

However, I always point out stuff like this to them:

ABQ received less than 10 inches of snow this winter - none of which "stuck" on the ground. Residents this winter did not once need the aid of a snow shovel. Transversely, here in metro Milwaukee, WI, we received 99 inches of snow - thus far.

ABQ saw temps in the 50s and 60s as late as early December, and then by February, saw temps back in the 60s again. By much of March, temps well into the 60s and 70s. Transversely, here in metro Milwaukee, we had a high on Saturday, April 5 of 64 degrees; that was the warmest day we'd had SINCE OCTOBER 30!!!! And it isn't like we had a bunch of 59'ers mixed in. Since October 30, we had less than 10 days that reached highs of 50. Most days were highs of 30s, 20s, or 10s.

On April 4, we had a ABQ early December-like day of 53 degrees; windy and a hare chill in the air, but the sun was shining. Then the 64 degree barnburner on April 5. Literally, starting then (followed up by a decent but very windy 56 on April 6 through a fairly cold/chilly/windy-but not brutal mid-40s on April 7), people have been out here IN THEIR SHORTS!!! People are driving with their windows rolled down!!!

Yet, if we had that stretch in ABQ, people would've been huddled inside with their sweaters pulled over their heads talking about the brutal winter!

So you lucky ABQeans...the moral of the story...even the ABQ winter is like a slice of heaven compared to northern country!!

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by yukon

BTW, are we past our last freeze date yet? Wondering if I'll have to bring in the hanging baskets if I buy some today.....

For most of ABQ, in a practical sense, usually April 1 was my own cut-off for a freeze possibility. However, Yukon, aren't you in the foothills? (Above 6000 feet?). If so, you might want to watch those overnights still yet for another few weeks. However, you SHOULD be okay...I would just watch the weather forecasts for any nights that are supposed to hit 40 or less in the city and then take some caution in bringing the baskets indoors.

[Tim Rankin]

Originally Posted by EnjoyEP

ABQ received less than 10 inches of snow this winter - none of which "stuck" on the ground. Residents this winter did not once need the aid of a snow shovel.

EP - One of our snowfalls near Eubank & Juan Tabo was betw. 3-4 in. It's true, of course, that many Albuquerqueans do not have snow shovels. But I used ours several times this winter, and also shoveled the snow off our flat roof on two occasions [although I have to admit that I look for excuses to shovel snow].

Yukon - I listed the avg freeze dates for the Heights, Valley and East Mtn on post #6. But even though it says Apr. 18 for the Heights, most people I know have already taken the insulating sleeves off their outdoor faucets...