Winter in southern New Mexico (Albuquerque, Las Cruces: apartments, living, cost)

[james57]

A very big thank you to all who commented here. Some very useful info which really helps me. Perhaps some additional comments by me will help also. I should have said this in the original message.

I am basically a cooler weather type person. Just love the cool 60's with nice sunny weather. Once we get above 80 it starts to ge uncomfortable. On the other hand, when the temps get down under zero, that is not my cup of tea. And I don't enjoy shoveling snow or buying groceries while navigating a snow packed parking lot. Got stuck in one this past winter. So that's not for me. But if it does snow and I can wait a day confident that it will have melted under the sun, then i'm OK.

The more I have considered NM, the more I lean toward a mild 4 season climate at elevations around 6000 ft. I'm not sure I could live in the desert. Too much of a change from Illinois. Also it would be nice to get away from the very muggy hot weather we get here in July and Aug. I know the high heat mentioned by Cathy in Alamogordo in the summer would be too much for me. Hence my reason for considering the general Silver City and Ruidoso areas. So my plan would be to leave Illinois right after Thanksgiving each year and stay in NM til March. Then return to Illinois but have the option of spending the very worst part of the Illinois summer in NM. So two round trips a year.

so I guess the bottom line is will i be able to avoid sub zero temps and not becoming snow bound in the house for days like what happened to me this past winter here in IL. Even Ruidoso sounds like it would be OK for me in the winter and certainly great in the summer. Or am I wrong again?? It's happened before! Thanks much for the commentary.

Jim

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by jecc

Cathy, I've found just the opposite. The wet cold of AK near sea level was nothing. I wore a T-shirt and no coat down to zero F all the time. Here in NM, I'm reaching for long sleeves at 40 or 50 degrees. Either the elevation is thinning my blood or I'm getting wimpier with age.

As for the type of snow here, it varies a lot. I've seen just as much dry, fluffy snow as wet, heavy snow. Sometimes it's so heavy I can barely lift a shovelful. Again, there are no predictable patterns or accurate generalizations regarding NM weather. This place is the real Wild West, and the weather fits right in.

LOL!! That IS interesting! If low elevation cold and snow don't bother you, then I guess it must be the combination of high (and you are very high, at about 9K feet, right..?) elevation and the dryness. Getting older might have something to do with it; not sure.

I used to be very hot-natured as a child, teenager and young adult. I loved hot, hot weather, and loved to be out in it.

That has gradually changed, and once I hit my mid-40s, I just hated hot weather, and it just gets worse the older I get. I was in CC the other day, looking at properties, and the 68 degrees with a dry, cool breeze blowing was wonderful.

How I would tolerate the extreme higher elevation cold all winter.....that remains to be seen. You really don't know until you live in it, I think.

[Towanda]

Originally Posted by james57

I am basically a cooler weather type person. Just love the cool 60's with nice sunny weather. Once we get above 80 it starts to ge uncomfortable. On the other hand, when the temps get down under zero, that is not my cup of tea. And I don't enjoy shoveling snow or buying groceries while navigating a snow packed parking lot. Got stuck in one this past winter. So that's not for me. But if it does snow and I can wait a day confident that it will have melted under the sun, then i'm OK.

Sounds like you are much like me. I like a cooler climate too, and for that reason we did our search in the northern half of New Mexico, from ABQ north. Seems like that is the perfect cooler climate.

In fact, Albuquerque sounds perfect for you!

[Vinegaroon]

I lived in Tularosa, and worked in Alamogordo for a few years. The hot temps bothered me a lot. The winter was a sad dismal, semi-warm affair. I could not live in Southern New Mexico again. I love the temps in Santa Fe. I don't know if you can find a better climate for someone who likes 4 seasons, but does not want any extreme weather.

[jecc]

Originally Posted by james57

so I guess the bottom line is will i be able to avoid sub zero temps and not becoming snow bound in the house for days like what happened to me this past winter here in IL. Even Ruidoso sounds like it would be OK for me in the winter and certainly great in the summer. Or am I wrong again?? It's happened before! Thanks much for the commentary.

Yes, you'd be fine in Ruidoso. Occasionally you might get a little surprise one way or the other (bunch of snow or 90+ in summer), but overall it would be a good place for you if you don't mind the tourist traffic. Summer highs do hit 80 and above regularly, but the daily high does not last all day. Temps peak in the afternoon and drop quite a bit in the evening. Silver City might also be OK, though it would be hotter in summer. If 80 is your comfort limit, you could look even higher than 7K feet. You didn't ask about northern NM, but the Santa Fe and Taos areas might suit you. I think ABQ would be too hot for you in summer. I know it would be for me, and my comfort zone ends around 75-80 F.

[jecc]

Originally Posted by Vinegaroon

I lived in Tularosa, and worked in Alamogordo for a few years. The hot temps bothered me a lot. The winter was a sad dismal, semi-warm affair. I could not live in Southern New Mexico again. I love the temps in Santa Fe. I don't know if you can find a better climate for someone who likes 4 seasons, but does not want any extreme weather.

Not all of southern NM is like Alamo and Tularosa. I agree with you about the weather there, but it's totally different when you double your elevation. Here you can do that by driving 20 miles east. Where I am, the temps generally run about 20-30 degrees lower than in Alamo-Tulie and 5-10 degrees lower than in Santa Fe.

[chilegal]

Jim,
Come out and rent a place for a winter, and then decide where you would like to be.

[GregW]

James 57 - You and I are tracking about the same. I am no longer comfortable with a 20 deg New England winter afternoon nor with an 88 deg summer cloudburst. Heck my office is currently at 77 deg and 90% humidity because they sensibly leave the AC off over the weekend.
I think Chiligal is right. Find a long-term rent (I have heard the Val Verde hotel in Socorro has apartment rentals) and spend a winter out in NM. Then go home and convince the significant other (if there is one) that moving is a good idea.

[kingfishat60]

We have lived in Deming for a couple years now. We also lived in Silver City for a year. We like both places alot. Deming is less scenic than Silver but it's much warmer in winter ( haven't seen snow yet) and a bit hotter in summer. Deming has much more affordable housing than Silver. It is also closer to the Mx border. We get our gas and diesel in Mx (gas $2.75 per gal) (diesel $2.20 per) as well as fresh veggies and beef. I agree with the poster who suggested renting for a while before makin a deciscison. We love desert living but you might wanna try it out before you make a commitment. If I can help w/more info or whatever feel free to e mail me. I worked in Ak. for 25 yrs and hate the cold , I imagine Il. isn't much better

[6 FOOT 3]

Southern New Mexico gets tons of Sunbirds from all over especially from up in the northern states. Places like Las Cruces, Deming, T or C, Alamogordo, Carlsbad etc...as they are great for the local and NM economies.