A question about seasons & temperatures

I know this may sound like a stupid question you you Americans, but down here in Oz we don't have a lot of knowledge of when certain seasons get into full swing in the U.S. and what temperatures will be like.

Our last trip over in April this year saw us catch early spring, including freezing our nuts off in NYC and heavy snow up the the White Mountains. We are planning our next visit (10 weeks total), but this time we want to catch late summer / Fall.

We are going to do this one in 3 fly/drive blocks.

The South West, drive a loop out of LA, out as far as say Santa Fe, back though places like the Hoover dam, Grand canyon, Death valley, San Francisco etc.

Then fly from LA up the North West into the Canadian Rockies, maybe Calgary and loop west from there to Glacier NP, Lake Louise etc?

Then fly from Calgary to the East Coast, starting up in Nova Scotia and driving right down to Florida, then head back into the midwest, Nashville & Memphis before flying to Hawaii and then home.

The fall colors are already starting along the east coast. The further north you are, the sooner they are gone. Usually the last week of September/first week of October are the peak in upstate NY....north of there will be a little earlier and to the south....a bit later. Colors along the Blue Ridge in NC can last into mid-November.

Thanks Woolburr, so planning our arrival in Maine in the 4th week of September should catch it, then be down in Florida around 4 weeks later.

Here in Arizona, our rainy season is coming to an end. We expect it to be over and done with by the end of September.

Temperatures are still warm, but not too hot.

The state is divided in two, with the southern half being low desert and the northern half being high desert.

In the high desert (Interstate 40, Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest, Painted Desert, Navajo Indian Nation, etc.), you can expect temperatures to drop around early November, with freezing and snow in early December. Beware of blinding snowstorms from Kingman through Flagstaff and eastward on I-40 during the last week of December through January. Always check the weather reports.

In the southern half (Interstates 10 and 8, Phoenix, Tucson, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Saguaro Nation Forest, Sky Islands, Chiricahua National Monument, me, etc.), you can expect temperatures to drop around early December, with freezing and snow in higher elevations by Christmas. In the southeast (where I am, the last half of December is our coldest time of the year, with temperatures dropping into the 20s (°F).

If you are into birding, when you leave Albuquerque you should head south on I-25 to the Bosque del Apache Wildlife Refuge, immediately south of Soccorro. It's definitely worth it at that time of the year, since the Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese will be in.

If you are going to be in southeastern Arizona, give a call and/or drop by. PM me if you're interested and I'll give you my number and directions.

I'd say to hit the Canadian Rockies, then the drive South along the Appalachians, and then hit the SW loop.

I haven't hit the Canadian Rockies, but it's starting to get crisp in Idaho by late August.

Things in Nova Scotia start closing up after Labour Day and are pretty well in Winter mode after the Caadian Thanksgiving (Oct. 9).

Like Wool said, you can get decent Fall colours along the Blue Ridge into November. If you're in that area in October, keep your eye out for the (5th, is it Dan?) GWNC Fall Colours shoot. Woolburr and I (joined by Jen [mtnphtgrphr] and ISOBOZ on occasion) usually manage a meet-up either Columbus Day week (Oct. 8-14 this year) or around Veteran's (Armistice) Day. This year it'll have to be the October dates and we'll just suffer with peak foliage.

We were in Santa Fe in November one year; there was snow on the peaks but it was comfortable everywhere else between Taos and Albuquerque. And, like Roger says, Bosque del Apache isn't to be missed if you're a birder.

Thanks 20droger and Jon. It sounds like I have better pack the 150-500 this trip (I left it at home last time). We struck most places still closed up in Maine last trip and felt we had arrived too early. We also only had 4 weeks so didn't have a lot of time to muck around, 10 weeks will give us a lot more flexibility - actually I'm starting to wonder if 10 weeks will even be enough haha. We certainly don't want to arrive too late next trip. It would be great to meet up with you guys for a shoot. As things get closer and we firm up some dates I'll give you yell, October sounds about the time for the BRP and we can massage it around a bit to suit. It is better doing shoots with people who know the areas, as a tourist you tend to miss the best hidden spots which only the locals know. It is just such a beautiful place, we were gobsmacked last trip. In fact just about everywhere exceeded our expectations, that is why we want to head back again.

For the northern areas, including here in the Pacific Northwest, things are getting decidedly cooler and, for us, wetter, in October, so hitting here and in the Rockies and the northern areas of the East Coast early will get fall colors but as much as possible avoid real adverse weather. As you move into November, well, it gets worse, but then your southern areas can hold up well.

Southern California, and the Southwest states, can be nice any time until there's some kind of storm! Of course, in the higher elevations snow is a consideration through the winter months, so from November through, well, like you observed April, you just have to be prepared for winter conditions the farther up you go elevation-wise and the farther north you go!

I live near Glacier, it gets iffy anytime after Sept 30th. We're pretty chilly and the trees at lower elevations (3000 feet) are changing fast. I going to try and make it to the park in the coming weeks, I'll let you know what it's like.

Sorry, I live in California and haven't spent any time at all in most of the places you've mentioned but I can tell you the weather is good all year round in San Francisco.

msclman99 wrote in post #13118733
Sorry, I live in California and haven't spent any time at all in most of the places you've mentioned but I can tell you the weather is good all year round in San Francisco.

That, sir, is a matter of opinion.

As Mark twain said, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." And I concur.

20droger wrote in post #13119583
That, sir, is a matter of opinion.

As Mark twain said, "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." And I concur.

Heh. Every summer in SF I see hundreds of tourists in shorts and T-shirts shivering while standing in line for the cable car. The natives are easy to spot - jeans and sweatshirts.

The "marine layer" (fog) is a feature of SF weather in the summer, often burning off by afternoon. The best weather is typically in October with sunny skies and temps in the 70s.

This summer has been influenced by La Niña, a cyclical Pacific weather pattern. We've had mild, sunny weather on the Northern and Central California coast all summer, and even the inland valleys have been moderate instead of 100+ temps as usual.

The prediction I've seen is that next summer will be another La Niña.

BTW, there's a neat way to see SF - you can rent a three-wheeler two-seater open "car" with computerized tour instructions and commentary. The one I saw last week near Golden Gate Park and the Haight Ashbury had a sign saying I could rent one at Fisherman's Wharf or Union Square.

Even though I've seen about everything in SF many times, I think my wife and I will try it one of these days.

-js

If you are planning Northern Rockies, anything past about the 2ed week of September is going to be a crap shoot. Right now we are having some really nice weather into the end of the month, Sometimes its really nice this time of year others it gets down right crappy.

If I were you I would start your tirp with the northern Rockies and hit your southern most points last (GNP and what not). Then do your fall color tour on the east coast, Weather can get funky in the northern reaches of the east too by late September but you will still have days that are really really nice even into Nov at times. ( I live in the NW rockies and work on the east coast).


Either way save the south west for last as it will be cooler and more bearable to get out and do stuff. I go down there in January for a week or 2 to visit family lol

No matter what have a good trip, it will be memorable no matter what happens, sometimes when things dont go perfect is when the best trips happen

Basically our seasons in Oz are the opposite to the Northern Hemisphere

Summer = Winter
Autumn = Spring
Winter = Summer
Spring = Autumn (Fall)

philwillmedia wrote in post #13143917
Basically our seasons in Oz are the opposite to the Northern Hemisphere

Summer = Winter
Autumn = Spring
Winter = Summer
Spring = Autumn (Fall)

Santa in shorts and a tank top—shudder!

stink tooth wrote in post #13122973
If you are planning Northern Rockies, anything past about the 2ed week of September is going to be a crap shoot.

If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes... meaning be prepared for anything.

You may also encounter snow anytime too but rental cars are usually equipped well. May I suggest extending you Canadian rockies and start from Jasper. This way you can enjoy the Columbia Icefields. I just passed by Banff, Lake Louise, on my way to Vancouver last week. And the colours are not at its brightest yet.

Enjoy your journey.