Durango area (Cortez, Bayfield: how much, schools, live)

[paulscott]

What is it like in the winter? How much snowfall and are heavy storms common?

Any below zero readings?

Any problems getting around--walking or diriving?

Thanks to all for any info.

[Crackerjack]

PaulScott, Durango has four seasons with nice, perfect falls and summers are not that hot. It can get quite warm in July and August, if the monsoons aren't around, but not anything bad. Most don't have air conditioners. Winters aren't bad at all. It will get some snow in December but many years it doesn't, when it does, it melts quick on the roads. It isn't icy. January gets some snow but again nothing that is bad. I don't think they have ever even closed the schools there. You will see most people just have cars so that should tell you something. If you live up at Durango Mountain Resort or the town of Needles or anywhere past Tamarron, which is about 20 miles north of Durango, it climbs in altitude a whole lot, from 6500 in Durango to around 10,000 feet at the resort! So you will need a 4x4 up there. Durango, Bayfield, Cortez and south of all those places are not bad in the winter.

Hesperus, it goes up in altitude, so it will have more snow then the area around it, so a 4x4 might not be a bad idea there. Durango itself doesn't get that much snow. If you prefer even less, look south of Durango, it gets milder. Cortez is also a mild winter city. Just know the snow in Durango, most of it, melts off right after it snows, so you won't see those "no work days" there. You can look at this city-data.com website, then Durango, and it will show you more data on weather. Durango also has 300 sunshine days. Most of the cloudy days are during the monsoon season in July or August. This year, my brother said it has been particularly rainy, as is all of New Mexico. The tropical moisture is coming from the Gulf of California bringing lots of rain to us out here in the southwest.

Here is a link on rafting that describes the weather in Durango better.

durangorafting.com/local-information/durango-today.php

[Aggie]

I'm also considering Durango for possible retirement. A little info: for weather summaries try

www.weatherbase.com

Lot of good info.