Best Time to Head East

[Gadget Man]

The DW & I are planning our first post-retirement cross country RV trip. We will be traveling from Southern California to Eastern Tennessee. I would like to leave CA mid May, weather permitting. I don’t like driving in freezing temperatures, so I don’t know if that’s too early to head east. Any recommendations on the best time to leave? We will be taking the I-40.

Thanks.

Craig

[smlranger]

It will certainly be warm everywhere east of the big river. You might encounter some cooler/cold weather in the higher elevations along I-40 in AZ or NM but I would think you would be fine.

[38Chevy454]

Mid-May is not going to have any problems. Could have a late spring morning frost, but it will heat up well above freezing during the day.

[rk911]

other than in the higher elevations where winter and lower temps can linger you should be fine. we're usually headed to ohio along I-40 from somewhere out west in early May and can't recall ever having a "winter" problem.cold nights, sure but generally nice days.wind will be your constant companion, though.

[TonyDi]

You won't encounter freezing weather along the I-40 corridor in May.

[Superslif]

Eastern TN. Smokey's? May is a good time to travel. But you will want to make reservations for camping Memorial Day Weekend (May 26-29). At least for the Ohio / PA. private and state parks they will get filled up sometimes a month before the holiday with reservations.

[jfran304]

In May the only weather you need to avoid is the tornados. The Oklahoma City area usually has some during May.

Jon

[nothermark]

What about bug season?

No idea for Tennessee. In general the rural northeast can have some interesting flying appetites before ~ July.

[Kiawah]

I mowed my lawn yesterday and we're in the 60's and 70's occasionally now, you'll have no problem in May.

[Gadget Man]

Thanks everyone, mid May it is!

[vsheetz]

Similarily we are headed East from SoCal the later part of March. Will stay south for several weeks before turning north from Georgia (or thereabouts). Targeting to be in New Jersey before the first week of May.

As always, just watch the weather and be prepared to not travel if inclimate.

[twogypsies]

If leaving California mid-May you'll miss all the beautiful spring flowering trees and plants when you get to Tennessee. They begin in March/April. Why not take a more southern route and leave earlier. You'll find great traveling temperatures a month earlier in the southern states. Take I-10 into Texas and then head north.

[USMCRET]

Yesterday, I completed a similar trip from Phoenix to VA via I-40 and I-81. We did not encounter freezing temps at all, and that with staying a night in Albuquerque. The way the weather is going this year, you may encounter the blizzard of the century in May.