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The fact that the Rio grande flows into the gulf proves that El Paso is on the eastern side, it would be like saying that Sequim, WA (northern Olympic peninsula coast) is east of the Cascades because it's very dry over there.
The fact that the Rio grande flows into the gulf proves that El Paso is on the eastern side, it would be like saying that Sequim, WA (northern Olympic peninsula coast) is east of the Cascades because it's very dry over there.
It all depends on your basis. If you use river flow, then yes, El Paso is east of the continental divide; however, my reference was location relative to the North American mountain spine (Rockies), and El Paso is west of the southern Rockies.
It all depends on your basis. If you use river flow, then yes, El Paso is east of the continental divide; however, my reference was location relative to the North American mountain spine (Rockies), and El Paso is west of the southern Rockies.
Just looking at satellite images, it seems that the spine of the Rockies goes down from the border of Idaho and Montana, then the border between Idaho and Wyoming, then down through Utah and Arizona, and then into Sanora. The mountains in Colorado and New Mexico seam disconnected from the spine of the Rockies, and seem to be an Island of Mountains in the middle of a plain.
Just looking at satellite images, it seems that the spine of the Rockies goes down from the border of Idaho and Montana, then the border between Idaho and Wyoming, then down through Utah and Arizona, and then into Sanora. The mountains in Colorado and New Mexico seam disconnected from the spine of the Rockies, and seem to be an Island of Mountains in the middle of a plain.
Yes, the mountains in Colorado and New Mexico constitute the Southern Rockies.
1.) The mean winter jetstream dip/storm track isn't directly south of Canada to Texas; rather, it is slightly east, with the lowest dip around the eastern Gulf area (from MS to western FL). Thus, if anything, locales in those states would illustrate the point better than much of Texas; even places near the coast in that area (Mobile, Tallahassee, etc) have subzero record lows.
2.) The record lows in Texas cites aren't any different from the inland SE US locales.
3.) El Paso is west of the continental divide, and is part of the high Chihuahuan desert; the weather patterns don't follow those of the Eastern US.
Typically yes, the jet stream dips in gulf states and they've seen lows just as low as south Texas. The areas in Texas I've been talking about are largely spared but when the jet stream does take a slightly altered dip like it did when those super cold lows occurred, southern Texas has NOTHING to block it. I think it's fair to say that the gulf states you speak of get cold regularly, but when Texas gets hit by that same dip in the jet stream, it's no different.
I havent completely memorized every inland southeast cities all time low, but cities like Columbia, Augusta and even Charlotte have similar lows but are several hundred miles further north. Why is this?
Just looking at satellite images, it seems that the spine of the Rockies goes down from the border of Idaho and Montana, then the border between Idaho and Wyoming, then down through Utah and Arizona, and then into Sanora. The mountains in Colorado and New Mexico seam disconnected from the spine of the Rockies, and seem to be an Island of Mountains in the middle of a plain.
The Rockies aren't a continuous range like the Cascade or the Sierra. It has sections with breaks and is more a group of mountain ranges than one single range. Southern Wyoming is more of a plateau than mountainous, but the elevation is high (7000+ feet) so it still affects weather patterns. Perhaps more than a narrow range with peaks to 7000 feet and sea level surrounding it.
The Rockies aren't a continuous range like the Cascade or the Sierra. It has sections with breaks and is more a group of mountain ranges than one single range. Southern Wyoming is more of a plateau than mountainous, but the elevation is high (7000+ feet) so it still affects weather patterns. Perhaps more than a narrow range with peaks to 7000 feet and sea level surrounding it.
I think it would be the other way around, it would be a lot harder for air to pass over a 7,000 ft ridge/wall than a gradually rising plain. At 7,000 ft in WA it's all glaciers, but in the Wyoming it's still relatively warm. This gradually rising plain acts as a ramp allowing warm and cold air to move freely. Otherwise the Rockies would be extremely glaciated or be dominated by alpine/tundra climates.
Typically yes, the jet stream dips in gulf states and they've seen lows just as low as south Texas. The areas in Texas I've been talking about are largely spared but when the jet stream does take a slightly altered dip like it did when those super cold lows occurred, southern Texas has NOTHING to block it. I think it's fair to say that the gulf states you speak of get cold regularly, but when Texas gets hit by that same dip in the jet stream, it's no different.
I havent completely memorized every inland southeast cities all time low, but cities like Columbia, Augusta and even Charlotte have similar lows but are several hundred miles further north. Why is this?
The mountains my help, but ultimately, it seems more like a simple case of proximity to the ocean; the closer to the sea/more modified, the warmer the record lows. The records also follow the shape of the coast; there is no Gulf of Mexico shoreline north of 30N in Texas, while the Atlantic coast runs past that latitude, causing the water moderated areas of Texas to be lower in latitude than the Atlantic areas.
You also have to account for frequency; Waco and Charlotte may both have the same record low (-5F), but that temp occurred thrice in Charlotte, vs once in Waco.
But, in the end, they all are similar; the differences aren't that drastic. When the climate zones are similar, things like record lows become a matter of random chance; Los Angeles downtown has a warmer record low (28F) than LAX (27F), even though LAX is closer to the Pacific, and both locations have higher record lows than San Diego (25F), despite being further north.
The Rockies end at the Sangre de Cristos near Santa Fe. All mountain ranges south of that in NM have a completely different orogeny and aren't considered the "Southern Rockies." I'm not sure what this has to do with anything anyway, as El Paso and all of NM gets its colder weather from "Pacific cold fronts," as they seem to call them on the AFDs here. A mountain range to the east is not going to block a system coming from the west.
Typically yes, the jet stream dips in gulf states and they've seen lows just as low as south Texas. The areas in Texas I've been talking about are largely spared but when the jet stream does take a slightly altered dip like it did when those super cold lows occurred, southern Texas has NOTHING to block it. I think it's fair to say that the gulf states you speak of get cold regularly, but when Texas gets hit by that same dip in the jet stream, it's no different.
I havent completely memorized every inland southeast cities all time low, but cities like Columbia, Augusta and even Charlotte have similar lows but are several hundred miles further north. Why is this?
You are ignoring the predominate se winds from the gulf that manage to keep most cold fronts north of houston for example. While noy as string as the jet stream it's a dominate weather impact in houston as any golfer knows.
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