Albuquerque in...April (work)

[abqsunport]

Relax towanda, if you need to install a swamp later on, it isn't really all that expensive (comparatively).

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by Towanda

We're going cold turkey in our house, Tim.

No swamp cooler, no air conditioner.

We have ceiling fans in most of the rooms and lots of windows. It remains to be seen if that will be sufficient. Or if I am whining and complaining by August...

Yesterday there was about 3" of snow on the ground at our new house.

Originally Posted by Tim Rankin

Oh...my...God. Now that deserves some rep.

Originally Posted by Towanda

Now I'm starting to panic ....

Folks, folks, folks (not Towanda...I know you already know this! ), but let's not forget that Towanda is moving to SANTA FE...NOT Albuquerque! Big, big, HUGE difference summer-wise.

I think Towanda, you'll be fine as you'll be - swamp/AC-less in Santa Fe. Frankly, (and this is just me), even in cool Santa Fe I would probably still want a swamp/AC for maybe two months of the summertime (really for the daytimes only), as even SF can still get well into the 90s on some days. However, having said that, I could definitely exist in SF without swamp/AC I think most years, and I think you'll be fine.

Now, if you were going to Albuquerque, then that would be an entirely different story. I am certain a few brave souls could hack ABQ without the swamp / AC, however, that would be akin to folks in Prescott, AZ or Lubbock, TX doing so - ABQ's summer temps are very similar to Prescott's and Lubbock's - and it would not be for me at all. I used swamp / AC pretty regularly between mid-May through mid-September in ABQ (not constant and not every night but still fairly constantly) and I don't think I would want to live in ABQ without the swamp / AC.

Those used to Phoenix or Vegas or, I guess, Death Valley, act like ABQ's summer is mild. Well, I guess to those places, it is! However, ABQ is still a HOT place in the summer - and long-and-hot if the monsoon isn't a great one in a particular year. Not unbearable by any means and the nights / early AMs are quite pleasant, but at 2pm on a mid-May or mid-June day when it is approaching the 102s, 103s, etc., in say Corrales with a burning hot sun, I am a BIG fan of having some swamp / AC right near by!!

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by Towanda

Towanda's subject line: Don't read this post EnjoyEP!

We spent a few hours in ABQ yesterday before our flight back to Kansas, and it was PERFECT April weather! Sunny, New Mexico blue sky, trees budding out, flowering trees blooming, still some snow on the mountains.

Saw many people out walking, running, biking.

Just absolutely wonderful!!

Well, I read it, and yes, I am jealous, bitter, depressed, etc. Did I ever mention that April is THE BEST MONTH IN ABQ???!!! Groan.

Oh yeah, and for those of you in ABQ, I see the high in ABQ - depending upon the part of the city you are in - for Tuesday is between 82 to 85 degrees!! It is 11pm: do you know where your swamp cooler part shop is!? (BTW, I would kill for an 82 - 85'er.

Here in Milwaukee, we are just overjoyed to likely be seeing the 60s towards the end of the week! Currently here on Sunday at 2:45pm locally? 37 degrees).

[mortimer]

Towanda worries:

> ... in our house ... No swamp cooler, no air conditioner.

> We have ceiling fans in most of the rooms and lots of windows. It remains to be seen if that will be sufficient. Or if I am whining and complaining by August...

The thing that makes a Swamp Cooler cool the air is not the air flow and thus not the fan and duct work or movement of air through a window. The cooling comes from evaporation of water. More accurately, you are removing heat from the air.

You can accomplish the same thing as needed by placing a wet towel or even
a pan of water under the flow of air from the ceiling fan. A towel (or rug) works better since you will expose more surface area to the air via the texture in the fabric.

At most, you are likely to 'need' cooling from Noon to, maybe an hour before sun down, and can use that method. You could even use some massive stone in your interior as a decorative item and drape wet fabric on it or even spray it down with some water. (The stone will also have the effect of absorbing heat - making the interior take longer to heat up.

Also note that you can spray yourself down with water to cool your skin directly. It is pretty effective as compared to a hot, humid summer day in Kansas.

[Tim Rankin]

Originally Posted by EnjoyEP

Folks, folks, folks (not Towanda...I know you already know this! ), but let's not forget that Towanda is moving to SANTA FE...NOT Albuquerque! Big, big, HUGE difference summer-wise.

Well, that changes everything. Sorry if I scared you Towanda. I hereby amend my "Oh...my...God" to a "Really?.....Cool!"

There are also lots of little, practical things one can do to to make it more bearable.

1. Close the shades on the south & west windows during the day.
2. Don't use the oven during the day, or boil an open pot of water.
3. Rent a room to the Silver Surfer.

[ABQSunseeker]

EnjoyEp, sure look forward to your continuing this great thread. Is May in the works?

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by ABQSunseeker

EnjoyEp, sure look forward to your continuing this great thread. Is May in the works?

Goodness Sunseeker, I am amazed that I ommitted to do May to this point! Thanks for the reminder!

I will throw it up within the next couple of days!

[penelopelp]

Originally Posted by EnjoyEP

Goodness Sunseeker, I am amazed that I ommitted to do May to this point!

I was wondering this myself...

[yukon]

Yeah, same here! I sure can't start one, it's my first May!

:::impatiently tapping fingers waiting for EnjoyEP to post May:::

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by yukon

Yeah, same here! I sure can't start one, it's my first May!

:::impatiently tapping fingers waiting for EnjoyEP to post May:::

Hey! I am depressed here!! You guys are all getting to enjoy my beloved ABQ, while here in the upper Midwest STILL half of the trees don't even have their leaves in yet, the occasional warm, nice days is frequently giving away to chilly 40s and 50s daytimes (I was wearing a coat and a winter hat today walking back to my car after work), etc.

The next ten days here in Milwaukee? Highs in the 50s through mid-60s...nothing in the 70s or 80s, not even once. Argh, argh, argh.

Transversely, while I prefer April in ABQ, May isn't all too shabby either!! Ahh, how my heart yearns.

OK, enough emoting though. I will suck it up and have a May posted ASAP!! (I will just have to drink one of these admittedly amazing fine local Milwaukee microbrews to carry me through! ).