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If you look at the NWS site you can find reported instances of damage/deaths due to severe weather dating back from 1950's. You will find that the entire state of NM is actually pretty tame when it comes to the severe weather. So while a thunderstorm in NM actually might LOOK really impressive because you can see 20 miles in any direction and see 10 lightning bolts at the same time, they so tend to be less damaging than those you get up here in the North East as we have a ton of trees, we are higher populated and when those fronts get off the Great Lakes and those southern winds blow, things really get wicked here. Not fun being in a severe thunderstorm up here and have 60+foot oak trees looking like they are going to snap and fall on your house!
NM also does have a much better weather warning system than towns I have been in around MA, NY and eastern PA and people seem to be much more in tune to the weather (At least in Clovis) than the people up here.
So while living on the West Tx border really had its moments, I knew that at least I would not be caught off guard should something bad actually happen. Up here I am not as sure. Pull up the stats for Great Barrington, MA. 2 F4 tornadoes within 30 years.... And Worcester MA too! One F-4 that killed 90 people, another F-3. In towns that aren't "supposed" to get tornadoes. I don't think there has been a F-4 tornado in NM since the recordkeeping began.
I can think of few places as desireable as Alb weather wise. No hurricanes, no earthquakes, I think there have been 2 confirmed tornadoes there in like 50 years, few summer days that are unbearably humid and sultry..and there is so much sunshine!
And if you want to see some flooding take a look at the pictures of the Delaware flood from last June. It was really terrifying and I saw first hand just how UGLY the Delaware can be..
Come on up in my neck of the woods and I will give you some weather to complain about LOL!
I was not complaining about the weatjher. You people seem to think because someone else has a differing opinion means they are complaining. That is not true of course. I lived in Missoruti and I know tornadoes and I know floods so I really don't need to see Delaware or any other place that has flooded. In fact, we lost a home because of flooding in 1979 on Easter in Missouri so, I really do understand weather more than some may want to paint me. I love NM weather and most of the time I laugh at the rain during the summer being called a monsoon because it is nothing. This past summer was a bit different but hey, we needed some rain so it is all good. We used to have 20 acres in Missouri and it was all oak trees and lightening was a real pain in the rear up there. But hey all, you can continue to argue the weather if you please. Me? I am going to enjoy my life. It is too short to worry about if someone thinks someone is complaining just because someonbe does not agree with another about something so trivial as the weather in a certain city.
Fact: This just is so far from factual. No, Albuquerque has not "lately" had a "few twisters" in the "general area", unless you consider Oklahoma City "the general area". As Chap stated above, we have not had a tornado in Albuquerque in over 20 years, and the National Weather Service data supports that.
(Although there was a verified tornado within the past six weeks outside of Las Cruces).
As for the thunderstorms, I guess that isn't as much a matter of being untrue like the twisters comment as a matter of opinion. However, where in the U.S. possibly would you see less "nasty thunderstorms" than here? Flordia? Nope. Anywhere in the Southeastern U.S., Midwest, Northeast? Nope...they all get many more strong thunderstorms in the summer when massive fronts sweep through. The Plains areas? Please. Southern NM and El Paso get the similar monsoon storms that we get, as do other major SW desert areas like Tucson and Phoenix. I guess one could say that coastal California has less strong thunderstorms.
This got me thinking about the severe weather in Alb and NM.. That is what spurred my post. And the fact that I am Green with envy of you Albuquerquians for your weather while I am stuck in buggy rainy cold PA hell.
If you are from Missori then you too have seen how ugly and rotten a river can get LOL! I always used to be terrified of thunderstorms and tornadoes (9 of my younger classmates were killed by a tornado when I was younger) but after this June, boy I am a believer in the power of water! Thankfully my house is high and dry but so many others were not so fortunate. Clovis drainage system consisted of dips in the streets that piled the water onto other streets...creative!
So is Missouri hot humid and miserable like New England in summer? I have never been through that area..
This got me thinking about the severe weather in Alb and NM.. That is what spurred my post. And the fact that I am Green with envy of you Albuquerquians for your weather while I am stuck in buggy rainy cold PA hell.
If you are from Missori then you too have seen how ugly and rotten a river can get LOL! I always used to be terrified of thunderstorms and tornadoes (9 of my younger classmates were killed by a tornado when I was younger) but after this June, boy I am a believer in the power of water! Thankfully my house is high and dry but so many others were not so fortunate. Clovis drainage system consisted of dips in the streets that piled the water onto other streets...creative!
So is Missouri hot humid and miserable like New England in summer? I have never been through that area..
Missouri is indeed humid as all get out. I know that I will die when we go back for a visit because my body has gotten used to the dryness of NM. I mean, here in the Las Cruces when the humidity gets to 30% I feel terrible and sweaty. But hell in Missouri, it was normal to be around 75% humidity. But I absolutely love Missouri but then I find that any state can have positives about it, though I am still trying to find those positives for Kansas. My one daughter lives in Kansas. I have lived in 36 different states and 4 different countries and have been around the world two different times. I love to see and appreciate the different cultures and the different weather and such. I especially love the different foods from the different areas. There is lots of great fishing in Missouri and there are a few Amish settlements. There is much to do in the state of Missouri but then I usually am able to find things to do in most places.
I love NM weather and most of the time I laugh at the rain during the summer being called a monsoon because it is nothing.
"Monsoon" is merely the technical description of the weather dynamic that brings this region of the country (the desert southwest) its summer rains. While many people may associate the term with the heavy downpours that occur in southern Asia, it has no bearing on the amount of precipitation that may actually fall in a given area.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GraphicQueen
I will have to be sure to tell the news stations in ABQ that those pics of the tornadoes they showed were not really tornadoes then since you say there has not been one for 20 years. Sorry, but I will have to take the word of the weather people in ABQ over either one of us.
After GQ's reply, I went to the NWS to see if I was mistaken. It would appear that I was incorrect in my broad general statement. There have been a handful of funnel clouds (10) that have formed and touched down in Bernalillo county since 1959. Only one of these 10 (1965, F1) was greater than F0, and no one has been killed or injured by a tornado in Bernalillo county since at least 1931. The most recent significant twister occurred in 1985 ($100k damage), but there have been 6 others since then. So yes, tornadoes are not unheard of in ABQ. But they are few, far between and relatively harmless.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GraphicQueen
When hubby and I visit ABQ, I really can't say that there has been too many places that we worry about going. Hell, we even go to visit friends way up off of North Central and there is crime in that area. But there is a lot of crime in ABQ and I will tell you one thing for sure and that is that it is dangerous as hell to be walking anywhere in that city. Cars run over people all of the time and much more than any other place I have ever lived. Another thing is all of the tractor trailer accidents.
OK, I have to take issue with a couple parts of this last quote. "Cars run over people all of the time": Ummmmm...no. This is far from a common occurance in ABQ. With all due respect, this statement is dripping with exaggeration. People run, walk and bike safely all across the city.
"Another thing is all of the tractor trailer accidents." This strikes me as another hyperbolic statement, that conjures up images of Mad Max. It just ain't so.
I really don't care if you don't agree but to call me a liar is getting ridiculous. It is not exaggeration at all. There are tons of tractor trailer accidents on the highways and to say otherwise is to lie yourself. And people who happen to be on foot do get hit and DIE quite a bit in ABQ. I watch the news and the news we watch happens to be ABQ news and not El Paso news so I see what you see as the news. Now, you are the one exaggerating the safety of the city. Yes, people walk and run every day and don't get hit by cars and I never said otherwise. I did say that far too many pedastarians get hit by vehicles though and that is the truth. Not as many people on foot get hit in other cities I have lived so it is no exaggeration at all.
You want to disagree? OK, then please do but stop it with the calling me a liar the way you constantly do. I wasn't wtong about the tornadoes and I am not wrong about the accidents with tractor trailers and the poor people on foot.
Thought I'd jump in here.
Weather: Remember last year with Hurricane Katrina and Rita? Houses sat for three weeks(!!!) in ten feet of water in New Orleans. My mom lost everything. I'm in Central Fl. where its hot for 6-7months and not so hot for the other. Summer is supposed to be hot. I miss some cold, not alot like up north and midwest. It seems that Alb./ Las Cruces have four seasons and hopefully not too severe a winter. Sounds good to me. All places have some bad weather.What I am looking for is for a place that gets a minimuim amount of "bad" weather and New Mexico, in general, seems to fit the bill. BTW, those "monsoons" y'all are referring to: weren't those caused by a Pacific hurricane that came up from Mexico? Strange weather indeed! we were very lucky here with the hurricanes thanks to El Nino but I am so tired of wondering if that "disturbance" off the coast of Africa will be the next "big" one.
Alb. in general sounds like your typical larger metro area: crime, traffic and such but it alsosounds like it has alot to offer that smaller places may not like things to do , maybe better jobs and such.
I am looking at both Las Cruces and Alb. as possible places to relocate. they both sound good to me.
Y'all need to lighten up!
I am so glad i found the city forums. you ALL don't know how much you have helped with all your info and yes, opinions!
Regarding the ABQ monsoons, here is a thread that can give you an overview of this weather dynamic: //www.city-data.com/forum/new-m...on-season.html While Pacific hurricanes may sometimes contribute moisture to the local weather patterns, they are not the "driver" of the our seasonal monsoons.
You are correct in that ABQ does bring bring with it both the bad and good that can be typically associated with a city of its size. As has been stated on these forums previously, ABQ is far from perfect but it has plenty of great things going for it. As does Las Cruces, although I am much less familiar with LC. When it comes to NM, it is often a love/hate thing. Here's to hoping you love it!
I really don't care if you don't agree but to call me a liar is getting ridiculous. It is not exaggeration at all. There are tons of tractor trailer accidents on the highways and to say otherwise is to lie yourself. And people who happen to be on foot do get hit and DIE quite a bit in ABQ. I watch the news and the news we watch happens to be ABQ news and not El Paso news so I see what you see as the news. Now, you are the one exaggerating the safety of the city. Yes, people walk and run every day and don't get hit by cars and I never said otherwise. I did say that far too many pedastarians get hit by vehicles though and that is the truth. Not as many people on foot get hit in other cities I have lived so it is no exaggeration at all.
You want to disagree? OK, then please do but stop it with the calling me a liar the way you constantly do. I wasn't wtong about the tornadoes and I am not wrong about the accidents with tractor trailers and the poor people on foot.
I am sorry if you have taken any comments personally. At no time has anyone called you a liar. I do not think you are intentionally trying to mislead anyone. But as a long time resident of ABQ, I do feel that you are incorrect or perhaps have some perceptions that are not necessarily based on fact. (Incidentally, Central Ave. runs east/west not north/south) And again with all due respect, I do feel that there is a significant level of exaggeration to your comments.
ABQ is just about as safe for pedestrians as any other city of similar size, and I imagine it has the same big-rig accident rate as other municipalities. Although, in fairness, I have not seen any tractor trailer accident rate comparisons lately. But at any rate, we do not have "tons" of these incidents.
Also, I would also note that while you were not necessarily wrong regarding tornadoes in/around ABQ, your original assertation was not entirely correct. We have not had "a few twisters in the general area". We've had one over the last two years.
Whatever you say. ABQ is the most perfect place on the face of the earth and there is never anything wrong with anything and anything bad that anyone says about the city is a lie. Never listen to anyone that tells the truth because only the people who have no idea what others are talking about tell the truth. Sheeesh.
ABQ is a great city but I really hate it when people are not willing to tell the WHOLE truth when it comes to cities. Every place has the underbelly that so many are not willing to talk about. I would choose ABQ over many different cities but there are others that are better and there are lots that are far worse. When it comes to diversity, one will not find many places that are better than ABQ. I think it is even better than Santa Fe. I look at Santa Fe as being yuppies with too much money. People are more down home and real in ABQ.
GQ - As Chap mentioned earlier I have not seen anyone in this post call you a liar. Have you been corrected here and there yes, and have you corrected others yes. So where is the name calling coming from?
As for ABQ being the best place to live, I don't believe anyone intended to say that. I think most of us who live here feel that ABQ is getting better by the day. The growth here has been mostly positive (population, jobs, and income) as of late. I know many natives feel ABQ is just getting too big, while many others (myself) are truly excited about the opportunities now available in ABQ. Sure ABQ has its share of problems, probably even more so than many other cities our size, but they are being addressed and I believe we are headed in the right direction.
I think one of the biggest misconception about ABQ is the crime. I've read many blogs and forums out there and most people think they need a bullet proof vest to walk up and down the streets. Then in these same forums both Tucscon and Phoenix are perceived as being safer than ABQ and NM for that matter. This is entirely untrue, our crime rate is lower than both AZ metro's. I have absolutely nothing against either metro, in fact I've considered moving to both at one time or another, I just wish these post about ABQ being the "Wild West" would stop. Once again, yes there is crime, and yes it might be higher than most Mid-Western cities, but let's at least be honest about the extent of the crime and how it is typically confined to a few bad areas.
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Pull up the stats for Great Barrington, MA. 2 F4 tornadoes within 30 years....
That is what spurred my post. And the fact that I am Green with envy of you Albuquerquians for your weather while I am stuck in buggy rainy cold PA hell.
Clovis drainage system consisted of dips in the streets that piled the water onto other streets...creative!
This strikes me as another hyperbolic statement, that conjures up images of Mad Max. It just ain't so.
my two cents
Stormweary
Easy there...
