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Old 08-05-2014, 12:54 PM   #1
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Snowbirding in SW US - 2014 Drought

We are planning our 5th snowbird trip to California and Arizona this coming winter (2014/2015) and we are concerned with the drought conditions. We plan to spend at least a month in San Diego and a month in Tucson for the Gem & Mineral Show. Also Las Vegas and many points in between our home in Anacortes, WA and our multiple destinations.

I typically would not worry about the drought and go on the trip but I am wondering what others on the IRV2 Forum are planning and if anyone has recommendations and opinions of the effect of the drought on RVing in the SW this winter. If there is an el nino winter there may be a lot of rain which carries a mixed blessing but long range forecasts are not always accurate or reliable.

Any comments will be appreciated.

Lee
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Old 08-05-2014, 04:58 PM   #2
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After spending 5 years in Southern CA & AZ for up to 5 months a year, I'll say the weather will do what ever it feels like . ( Except snow ) Although areas in the south can see rain through the winter, the wet is usually over with in 3 days or less. Then it's back on the golf course, you may need a jacket early in the day, but compared to what's happening at home it's fine .

I do monitor the current conditions and predictions from the national weather service, for the area I stay in and if by mid October the fires in Northern CA are still bad I'd re-route to Eastern Nevada for the trip down.
Las Vegas , last night , wouldn't have wanted to be there for that mess.
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Old 08-05-2014, 09:46 PM   #3
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Arizona has gotten quite a bit of rain from the monsoons this summer.
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Old 08-06-2014, 07:15 PM   #4
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My wife and I still plan on AZ and CA this winter. Plan on going down the west coast from BC to get there. Have only driven the coast down just past San Fran in July. Looking forward to do it all the way to San Diego in November this time. Spent most of the winter last year between the Salton Sea, San Clemente on the Pacific and San Diego 5 miles in at Bonita. Normally go over to Ariz in Jan. Hope they do get rain so I can see what the washes look like with water in them.
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Old 09-07-2014, 08:45 PM   #5
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el nino is coming but the desert will drain fast..just stay out of running water
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Old 09-08-2014, 11:17 PM   #6
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Palm Springs , Vegas, Phoenix , most of the desert SW flooded today.
Record rain , big section of I-17 washed out , Virgin River Gorge section closed. almost 3 months of rain in a day. Going to be an interesting winter by the Colorado River.
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Old 09-09-2014, 10:12 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ballard770 View Post
We are planning our 5th snowbird trip to California and Arizona this coming winter (2014/2015) and we are concerned with the drought conditions. We plan to spend at least a month in San Diego and a month in Tucson for the Gem & Mineral Show. Also Las Vegas and many points in between our home in Anacortes, WA and our multiple destinations.

I typically would not worry about the drought and go on the trip but I am wondering what others on the IRV2 Forum are planning and if anyone has recommendations and opinions of the effect of the drought on RVing in the SW this winter. If there is an el nino winter there may be a lot of rain which carries a mixed blessing but long range forecasts are not always accurate or reliable.

Any comments will be appreciated.

Lee
Any Plans on Quartzite? We will be going there for our first winter out of the snow... We heard they have some great shows like you mentioned.
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Old 09-09-2014, 10:47 AM   #8
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JMHO: Staying in the Quartzsite , area during the shows can be problematic. Huge areas around the town of BLM land loaded with boondockers, traffic during the shows is a nightmare. In the past three seasons there have been improvements to traffic control, but still, walking is fastest way to get around town & to the big tent.
ATM's in the area were limiting daily withdraw amounts, due to the demand.
I stay about an hour north of Quartzsite, and go in for the RV show for a day, spend about 2 hours in the tent , then the push of the crowds gets to me and I have to get out. Huge area with a carny atmosphere , but if you have trouble with crowds, not the place to be.
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Old 09-09-2014, 11:09 AM   #9
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The crowds of Quartzsite is a reason why some folks go there. The atmosphere is fun.

That said, we've been there often but only because we meet up with a specific group and we all stay together for pot lucks and our own activities. We go into town perhaps two times during a 10-day stay and we go early morning and we're out of there by noon.

Regarding the OP's question, there is no reason to stay away from the Southwest. I can't imagine what you've heard about the 'drought'. These cycles come and go and life goes on. You'll even see flowers blooming in the spring with the drought. The desert plants don't need much water. Also, folks living there know how to conserve water and RVers should do the same.
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Old 09-09-2014, 11:15 AM   #10
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yesterdays rain was greatly appreciated in Tucson. The winter/spring desert should be beautiful.

Rain in the desert falls and runs off quickly due to the hard, impervious ground. After a couple of hours there is no standing water.

Quartzite? Not for us. We have the RV to get away from that madness, but some must like it I guess

If you haven't seen Tucson in a year you won't recognize the downtown now. The modern streetcar is up and running and there are tons of new restaurants and shops opening down there
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Old 09-09-2014, 11:30 AM   #11
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Most of the SW has been under severe drought conditions for the last 5 yrs and it hasn't effected our travels yet. (other than a wild fire coming close last summer).
If anything the SW drought is now less severe than it was a few years ago, except in Ca.
Unless you plan to camp in a flood plain or in the middle of thick dry timber, I wouldn't worry.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ballard770 View Post
.....
I typically would not worry about the drought and go on the trip but I am wondering what others on the IRV2 Forum are planning and if anyone has recommendations and opinions of the effect of the drought on RVing in the SW this winter.
Any comments will be appreciated.
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Old 09-18-2014, 09:35 AM   #12
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Here is a shot from yesterday, near my winter ranch outside Deming NM. After our normal late summer monsoon rains, we got hit with the remnants of tropical storm Odile. There is a road about 1/4 mile to the left of this shot. This guy tried to drive through a low point (wash) covered in flowing water and his vehicle got carried 1/4 mile into the flooded fields. But after 5 yrs of drought, no one here is complaining about this extra rain.
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Old 09-18-2014, 09:46 AM   #13
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Hopefully the storms in the Baja , will effect the weather far enough north to aide with controlling the wildfires in Northern CA.
The routes to my southern home are surrounded by fire or covered in snow at the moment.
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Old 09-18-2014, 01:57 PM   #14
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We're in New Mexico now and it's raining hard today - not what they need. All it's doing is running off the soil and there's lots of evidence of past forest fires in the mountains. But at least they're getting some moisture.
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