Re: OT:climate (was potting new arrivals)

Overall it's much the same here in central NM as for Donald in Texas,
except for that humidity and rain.  It's considerably drier here.  We have
higher humidity this August than usual, and it's cool this year, but it's
still mostly under 20% during the day, and it's not bad working outside
since it's only been in the mid to upper 80's during the hottest part of
the day.  Lately it has even stayed below 70 F till 10:00AM some days
(that's unheard of in August unless it's actually dumping rain or hail!).

However, it rarely gets much over 100F, and officially Albuquerque (at the
airport) hits the century mark on average only once per year.  However,
location makes a big difference.  Where I lived for years in the river
valley, also in Albuquerque, it topped 100 about 15 or 20 times per summer,
mostly in June and July.  It hardly ever hit 105 F though (I think my
hottest day in 21 years was 113 - need to look that one up).  Even though
it rarely hits 100 at the airport, it still might be 97 or 98 for days on
end without a break.

Anyway, you don't live here long without investing in air-conditioning for
vehicles (it's rare to see one for sale newer than 1970 that doesn't have
AC).  Windows rolled down doesn't cut it when it's over 95, even if the air
is dry.  I remember a few times years ago, sitting on my motorcycle, going
70 or 80 mph down the highway, and still wishing it was closed in with AC!
Swamp (evaporative) coolers do nicely for buildings, and every occupied
building has some sort of cooling unit.  Nights are cool here though,
usually below 70F by morning, even in June and July when it's hottest.

The intensity of the sun makes up a lot for the lack of humidity,  the
lowest elevations here are just under 5000 ft, and the amount of light
received under a dense shade tree here is about equivalent to that received
out in full sun on a clear day in New England (maybe more!).  Things
usually warm up fast when the sun comes out, and they cool off almost as
fast here.

Usually the weather does cool off a bit in August, but only a little.
However, this year, August is pretty nice (by our standards).

As for cold, that's also much the same as where Donald is.  Depending on
where you are (mostly depends on cold air drainage at night) the first
frost can be any time from late September to late November.  In my yard,
it's usually in November.  Sometime in mid November to mid December it
turns to real winter, and we freeze nearly every night, with occasional
nights below 20 F, and sometimes a night or two below 0 F.  Again it
depends on cold air  drainage, and where the cold air settles.  The lowest
locations are generally the coldest (and the hottest in summer).  Even in
the low valley locations it usually doesn't drop below 15 F very often, but
it has been down to -30 F (once, in 1971, or was it '72?).  The official
record low for Albuquerque is -17F (at the airport), but until that winter
the record was -5F, and it hasn't been that cold since.

Last year we turned on the heat in the house the first of December, and
turned it off in March; however, we turned it on again for a little while
in April.   It rarely runs during the day, just at night.  We might get by
without it, but some nights would be awfully chilly.  This last winter was
the coldest (at night) in quite a number of years, and we spent
considerably more on propane than usual; however, I think we ran it more
because we had an infant in the house.

No rebloom here yet, except those few flowers of Eleanor Roosevelt way back
in - was it late June - can't remember.  I should look for new bloom stalks
though, it's been good weather lately.  However, I don't see much new
growth on the Irises yet, just lots of old shredded leaves with yellow and
brown ends.


Dave

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