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Yeah, I would agree with Mortimer that winters are pretty mild, especially compared to the UK, North Eastern US. If you don't want bad winters, than Denver is out. If you don't want horribly hot summers than Phoenix is out (close to 120 degrees f in the summer)
Crime is only relative in Albuquerque. By that I mean, Albuquerque's crime is very isolated. Crime is only evident in rough parts of town, but really most of Albuquerque would be very safe. And if you wanted to live in a nice suburb like Rio Rancho, Placitas, etc. than that would be even safer. Santa Fe wouldn't be bad except that it has tougher winters, and its crime isn't all that much better than Albuquerque's. What I would have to say is take a trip out here to ABQ and see the town. If you choose to live in a more upscale part of town (Tanoan, High Resort, Albuquerque Acres, etc.) you would be very satasified and crime wouldn't even be a thought. But believe me, Upscale Albuquerque homes do not compare at all to the real estate prices of London, or other UK cities.
> If you don't want bad winters, than Denver is out.
> If you don't want horribly hot summers than Phoenix is out
> (close to 120 degrees f in the summer) ...
I'd like to append to that - a little.
Phoenix can get to 120 (122 is the record). However, a typical
summer day is a morning in the 80's and comfortable - as opposed
to 80 in Atlanta and miserable (humid). A daytime high of about 105
and still 100 degrees at midnight. This lasts about three-four months.
There will generally be a week where the temps are over 110 at the
peak. (122 deg F = 50 deg C / 86 deg F = 30 deg C -- both exact)
Phoenix has about six months of really fabulous weather.
Denver typical winter day is high 40's (about 10 deg C) and sunny
with nights dropping near 20 (-6 C). However, it will snow in Denver
and you can get dumped on. It happens about once a month.
Denver has about six months of really fabulous weather.
I consider Phoenix summers to be more bearable than summers in
Atlanta or even Ohio. I consider Denver winters to be easier than
either one of those places also.
Also, Albuquerque has about six months of really fabulous weather
(just not all in a row).
"I consider Phoenix summers to be more bearable than summers in
Atlanta or even Ohio. I consider Denver winters to be easier than
either one of those places also."
With all due respect to Mortimer from what I remember Atlanta winters were no where near as cold as Denver winters.
"Also, Albuquerque has about six months of really fabulous weather
(just not all in a row)."
..and I thought ABQ weather was fabulous more than six months out of the year compared to most places that I've lived in the US. It seemed that even some winter days there were exceptional when I lived there.
Re: I also saw that ABQ crime rates seem pretty high, would Santa Fe be a better move?
ABQ has crime but to me it's only in certain areas. Santa Fe is not an affordable city by any means.
Someone on an earlier thread said they couldn't afford a home in ABQ, but I'm not sure what they're talking about because I just bought my home and found it very reasonable. Spent under $180 for a 2-story, 3-bedroom, 2014 square foot house with a decent yard and a lot of upgrades. There are some great new communities with fantastic entry prices. Santa Fe is going to be significantly higher and they are in the middle of a huge water crises.
> ... from what I remember Atlanta winters were no where near
> as cold as Denver winters.
You are right. I was talking about "bearable" (to me). It rains
a lot in Atlanta - relative to Denver - so I consider the colder
and drier weather in Denver more bearable.
Which is better?
(1) A day that doesn't get above freezing, but is sunny? <or>
(2) A day where it is just above freezing and rainy? Your call.
> ..and I thought ABQ weather was fabulous more than six months
> out of the year compared to most places that I've lived in the US.
I could have understated it a bit, but a "decent" day is less good
than a "fabulous" day, but I never complain when it is decent.
Also, your remark about winter days being nice sometimes, only means
that the day was 'nice' to you - right? How about that sunny day in the
40s and 50s that dropped to 15 at night? Did you consider that also
nice? If not, then the whole day was not nice. That is what I mean.
I am sorry, but I have to say that Albuquerque has the best weather in the Southwest. There is never any humidy. Summers are mild, and unlike other parts of the country, Albuquerque reaches its hottest part at the end of June/early July. Summer days never top out over a hundred, and most of the time are in the low 90's. Unlike other places, Albuquerque also cools off at night. That saves a lot off a cooler/ac bill. Falls are full of color, relaxed warmth, and peace. It is such a gorgeous time. Nothing is better of waking up and seeing balloons fill the skys and it is 60 degrees. Falls highs are typically anywhere from 85-65 degrees. Winter can be cold, but is still rather mild, especially when compared to Denver. Spring, though can get a bit windy, is much like the fall temperature wise. Albuquerque is full of 4 distinct, but mild seasons. Denver has 6 months of nice (just nice) weather in the warm part of the year, and then 6 Months Straight of horribly cold temperatures with huge amounts of Snow. Phoenix, on the other hand, has 6 straight months of unbearably hot weather, and then 6 months of nice (just nice) weather in the cold part of the year. Albuquerque,however, has 6 Months of Nice, and 6 Months of Great Weather. ABQ Summer-Nice, Fall-Great, Winter-Nice, Spring-Great DEN Summer-Nice, Fall- Nice degraded to Terrible, Winter-Terrible, Spring Terrible to Nice PHX Summer-Terrible, Fall-Terrible to Nice, Winter-Nice, Spring-Nice to terrible.
Ill let the facts (source: weather.com) speak for themselves, and you can make your own opinion:
It all comes down to different oppinions. Personally something I would do for something like this is look at each month individually. Pick which city has the best weather and give it a point, and see which city has the worst weather and subtract a point. Here are my totals, but I am sure you would come up with something different.
Now now ... According to your list -- Jan highs of 43? Horrible?
> Phoenix ... 6 straight months of unbearably hot weather ...
Early May in Phoenix is about like summer in Albuquerque as is
late Sep. Unbearable?
Just curious: abqsunport have you ever been to Houston in the
summer? The worst day in Phoenix I have ever experienced was
118 when it was still 95 at sunrise the next morning. I've been in
far worse in Dayton, OH in Sep.
Also curious: abqsunport have you ever been anywhere (like Dayton)
where the temps didn't get above zero deg F for a whole week?
Denver dips below zero, but it has pansy winters next to just about
anything East of there (all the way to the Atlantic).
Good job on the summary and charts. Again, I agree on which is better,
but think you are just a teensy bit extreme in your descriptions. I came
back here on purpose and I'm not leaving unless just going on vacation.
The weather is a big part of it. Life's too short to put up with 95 deg
sunrises or humidity.
Good job on the summary and charts. Again, I agree on which is better,
but think you are just a teensy bit extreme in your descriptions. I came
back here on purpose and I'm not leaving unless just going on vacation.
The weather is a big part of it. Life's too short to put up with 95 deg
sunrises or humidity.
Okay, so looking back on it I did exaggerate and lay it on a bit thick. Sorry...
And yes, I have been to Houston in the summer, and I found it so miserable. I guess when you are spoiled with the weather we have, everything seems much worse that what it actually is.
> ... from what I remember Atlanta winters were no where near
> as cold as Denver winters.
You are right. I was talking about "bearable" (to me). It rains
a lot in Atlanta - relative to Denver - so I consider the colder
and drier weather in Denver more bearable.
Which is better?
(1) A day that doesn't get above freezing, but is sunny? <or>
(2) A day where it is just above freezing and rainy? Your call.
> ..and I thought ABQ weather was fabulous more than six months
> out of the year compared to most places that I've lived in the US.
I could have understated it a bit, but a "decent" day is less good
than a "fabulous" day, but I never complain when it is decent.
Also, your remark about winter days being nice sometimes, only means
that the day was 'nice' to you - right? How about that sunny day in the
40s and 50s that dropped to 15 at night? Did you consider that also
nice? If not, then the whole day was not nice. That is what I mean.
Yeah you're right - they were nice days to me. I've lived in Chicago for 4 years now and I've become accustomed to thinking that a 40 degree fahrenheit day is beautiful because it's sunny outside. A 15 degree temperature at night would be bearable here, where it can be below zero at night for several weeks. But at least there's more sunny days in Chicago than in Seattle. There's something about too many cloudy days that make me feel clausterphobic and depressed. It's a good thing that it's relatively sunny in Chicago, but it's still not as sunny and bright as ABQ.
you seem to have a paradox going here -- you don't want to live in a large urban area yet you want a major airport?
You could live outside a large urban area if you are willing to drive 60-70 miles but still want access to a major airport.
I have lived in Austin and currently live here in the suburbs of Albuquerque and NEITHER offer a major airport. You have to make tons of connections. It's one of my gripes -- I like to travel and a secondary airport drives me crazy. Also Albuquerque has NO international flights even though it's called an international airport. Not even to Mexico which seems like a huge waste of opportunity to me.
Albuquerque is very nice in many ways but it depends really what is most important to you. If you are traveling every week, I would want a major airport to get the most direct flights I can in order to maximize the time with my family and minimize the connections to be made thereby spending more time in the air than on the ground with family coming and going from business travel.
Where in the US and Canada will the majority of your travel be? And is it important to have direct flights back to the UK?
I'd tend to suggest the East Coast for promity to the UK -- and tons of major airports. You could live in several nice parts of Virginia and fly out of Dulles. You could live an hour outside Seattle or Portland and have major airports. You could live an hour outside of Chicago and have a major airport. Same with Houston and Dallas. Atlanta is relatively cheap with tons of houses in the burbs too. Houston and Dallas are very economical.
I actually say Chicago might be the best -- centrally located, decent with allergies, and one of the most major airports in the world with lots of flights to Canada and also to the UK and Europe.
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