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Just a quick request from someone who has done either drive before; we will be going west to east in the beginning of April and are looking for towns/cities where we'd encounter the worst winter weather. Example, if going from SF to Reno, you'd generally check Truckee, CA's weather to see what you'll be encountering on that leg of a trip.
We haven't decided if we're going 80 or 40 yet, our destination is NC, and our decision will be based on the weather we're likely to encounter.
April still has insane and rapidly changing weather; you can get thunderstorms with tornadoes and even snowstorms. I-80 will stay open (with cautionary signs) if it is just slushy or even icy; but in a heavy snow (not unlikely) they will shut it down in the Great Plains.
Weather Underground has a Trip Planner that you can use 4-5 days (if I recall correctly) in advance that will give you the idea of what sort of weather you are likely to encounter for every leg of your trip. Since things change rapidly, I always take my laptop and stay at places with free internet in the rooms; that way I can check the likelihood of changing weather for my whole trip, in increments. Coming out of the Colorado mountains into the Plains, you are likely to encounter sudden fierce storms that time of year, with lots of rain and wind. As you head east and South, you are likely to get hit with sudden upsurgences of warm moist air across the lower-lying landscapes, which will give you everything from soft endless rain to more thunderstorms. Don't forget the flooding, especally flash flooding, which at the end of La Nina this year is predicted to be intense and sometimes sudden, especially if the area has been soaked with heavy rain or even a snowstorm in the past few days, with a following warming trend.
Hope that helps a little. Predicting weather in April is a crapshoot at the best of times...
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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I-80 carries a lot of traffic and area near Laramie, WY is likely the worst risk (East and west)
WIND in western / Central WY can close the road. I have often driven across WY AND NE and never seen the road due to ground blizzards. April is a crap shoot, but spring wind is very fierce. and snows CAN be very heavy. Nice thing is that it melts fast. Watch the 10-14 day forecast. Realizing that UT, WY, NE, NM can all change weather in a spring heartbeat.Climate Prediction Center - 8 to 14 Day Outlook
Looks to be I-40 for smooth sailing I-10 for Smoother Sailing
Well I have lived in TN just 2 miles off of 40 my whole life & have worked at truck stops off 40 in TN from exits 87-108 for almost 5 years.
And in my experience in April on 40 in Texas, Oaklahoma, Arkansas, & Tennessee you can expect rain, rain, & more rain. With excellent chances of severe thunderstorms, anywhere from pea to softball size hail, winds sometime in excess of 60mph, and possible tornadoes. And that's generally the drirection they travel as well, west to east. Or it could be sunny skies with highes in the 70s & 80s. We never know.
But that's just the spring in the south for you. Good luck with your move, whichever route you choose.
Well I have lived in TN just 2 miles off of 40 my whole life & have worked at truck stops off 40 in TN from exits 87-108 for almost 5 years.
And in my experience in April on 40 in Texas, Oaklahoma, Arkansas, & Tennessee you can expect rain, rain, & more rain. With excellent chances of severe thunderstorms, anywhere from pea to softball size hail, winds sometime in excess of 60mph, and possible tornadoes. And that's generally the drirection they travel as well, west to east. Or it could be sunny skies with highes in the 70s & 80s. We never know.
But that's just the spring in the south for you. Good luck with your move, whichever route you choose.
That's a pretty good analysis of what you're likely to encounter on I-40 in those places.
And, it should be noted that the upland between roughly Ash Fork, AZ and Albuquerque, NM isn't entirely free of snow in April either, especially around Flagstaff, AZ.
To the OP: You'll be alright on either route. If it gets bad, just stop and let it clear off. In April, that won't take too long.
If you are going on I 80 check the weather in Wyoming, especially in the Laramie area. Check this link: WYDOT Travel Information Service (Cheyenne) or call 511 when you cross the state line. In April the weather can get pretty nasty so be careful.
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