anaterra
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,134
Location: Texas
Jun 29, 2014 3:04:02 GMT
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Post by anaterra on Jun 19, 2024 0:41:36 GMT
We sometimes spend Thanksgiving in Ruidoso... that was our plan for this year... it is currently under fire...
So we were thinking Colorado instead... we live in west texas... we dont have snow tires or chains...
Will we need them?? How cold will it possibly be???
This isn't our plan b... i am just thinking...
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Post by Basket1lady on Jun 19, 2024 3:01:23 GMT
Never, never ask how cold it can get!
We lived on the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs from 1998-2001. I had a friend who was pregnant and went into labor mid October 1997, in the middle of a blizzard. They pulled her on a sled to a main road in the housing area, then transported her via a humvee to the base hospital, which did not do L&D.
For DH’s ring dance in May 1989, it snowed over Memorial Day. It never occurred to me to bring a winter coat!
Then, there are tons of beautiful 60 degree days we had in January. It could be beautiful at the end of November or it could be snowing. It’s all up to Mother Nature.
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Post by workingclassdog on Jun 19, 2024 3:42:45 GMT
Thanksgiving is a crap shoot... it could be nasty but again it could be 80. You just never know. USUALLY at least for Denver it is pretty nice out. If you are in the mountains, it will be colder but still you just don't know. I have never had to put chains on our vehicles going to the mountains. But if it is that bad, I wouldn't go up there. If you are in town, you don't need chains. The great thing about Colorado is typically the snow melts fast since we are closer to the sun and we have good snow plow system.
Of course I say all that and you could end up in the Blizzard of the Century which throws everything out the window.
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snyder
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,350 
Location: Colorado
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Post by snyder on Jun 19, 2024 3:49:18 GMT
Never, never ask how cold it can get! We lived on the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs from 1998-2001. I had a friend who was pregnant and went into labor mid October 1997, in the middle of a blizzard. They pulled her on a sled to a main road in the housing area, then transported her via a humvee to the base hospital, which did not do L&D. For DH’s ring dance in May 1989, it snowed over Memorial Day. It never occurred to me to bring a winter coat! Then, there are tons of beautiful 60 degree days we had in January. It could be beautiful at the end of November or it could be snowing. It’s all up to Mother Nature. Yep, that very well could happen, but that was also around 25 years ago. We do not get snow like that any more. 4-5 snows of about 3-4 inches and maybe 1 or 2 spring snows of 10-12 inches in April/May.
OP, if you are driving, Raton Pass, New Mexico can get wild 1 or 2 times a winter season. Worse case scenario would be you would have to stay on either side of the pass for a day while they clear the road. I don't recall that happening the last few years.
The 3-4 inch snows can be icy, but the road crews are out quickly putting down deicer.
Probably worse case scenario would be staying a day for all roads to be cleared, but probably just until noon of the day of snow as they usually put deicer down the previous night if a snow is predicted.
Now in the upper elevations going up the mountains towards Pikes Peak, they do get a lot more snow than Colorado Springs.
I think you will be fine here at Thanksgiving time as the November/December forecast is drier than average.
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Post by freecharlie on Jun 19, 2024 4:46:58 GMT
Colorado does what it wants, when it wants.
That said, while it may be cold and snowy, UT isn't usually horrible in November.
I've never put chains on my tires. I just don't go up to the mountains if they are needed and that is usually only if you are going up into the mountains. Colorado does a good job of clearing major roads.
Like someone mentioned Raton might be troublesome...or it could be 60 degrees.
If you have younger kids, hit the North Pole while you are here.
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Post by kamper on Jun 19, 2024 13:42:13 GMT
When we first moved to the Denver area in Oct 2015 there was a big storm forecast for Thanksgiving. We had planned to drive to Albuquerque for Thanksgiving to stay with my family. We cancelled because we were worried about Raton Pass (it did close if I remember).
Someone posted that Colorado doesn't get big snows anymore but, I distinctly remember a bomb cyclone one year and another time that I-25 was closed south of Castle Rock and motorist were stuck on the freeway and had to be taken out in school buses that followed the plows.
So it could snow and you need to be prepared to just stay put.
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anaterra
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,134
Location: Texas
Jun 29, 2014 3:04:02 GMT
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Post by anaterra on Jun 19, 2024 14:38:25 GMT
Thanks everyone... i think this is our plan B....
Really worried about Ruidoso and the fires
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