Winter weather on I10 in AZ NM?

[Rollifahrer]

I maight be in the wrong forum for this, but this looks like place where guys who ride a lot post.

I'm planning a fast ride from FL to CA the week between Christmas and New Year.

Can anyone from out that way tell me what to expect in the higher passes? I'm OK with cold, but I won't have time to wait out a snow storm.

Thanks in advance,

[barryg]

Even between the mountain passes is the high plains, these can bring high winds, extreme cold and blizzards and the interstate can be closed in this area as well. Probably better to take southern route, I-10.

[Rollifahrer]

Thanks for the info. I was thinking I10, but heard it can also get some snow. I'm guessing from your reply snowfall there is minor.

[eeferber]

I've never encountered snow actually on the highway along I-10 anywhere between NM and CA, although a friend did have a nasty ride last year thru western TX with a few inches of snow on the highway

A long section of I-10 thru western TX, NM and eastern AZ is higher than 4000'elevation and can be pretty cool, especially in the early AM and later afternoon. And, because of the elevation there's always the chance of snow that time of winter. There's also the possibility of strong winds all the way from TX to AZ. But like weather everywhere, you just never know - it could be 70 degrees and beautiful the entire route, or not.....

As far as coast to coast travel goes, I-10 is about the safest route weather-wise although there is also a lot of OTR truck traffic. Personally, if it were me, I'd fly.

[cathdeac]

I've made the trip a couple times around that time of year. Yeah, take I10... it runs far enough south you will have little chance of snow/ice.

The nice thing, if there's any sorry weather, it usually is "relatively" short lived. The biggest stretch of "open" space is after Fort Stockton. There is a MC friendly Best Western there...but you'd probably want to set up your reservations today.... for the whole route.

[njnear]

There are a few passes that skirt around 5k feet elevation, the Dragoons just outside of Benson, AZ comes to mind. If I were travelling the distance, I would drop down to the border just east of Tucson riding through Sierra Vista, Bisbee, Douglas and Rodeo Arizona, then take highway 9 from the New Mexico border into El Paso. Great roads, nice scenery and much lighter traffic. You can make excellent time through here and it really isn't out of the way.

Getting around the central New Mexico mountains, the best way is through El Paso, TX. Stay away from Cloud Croft and Ruidoso can be an issue from an elevation and weather point of view.

[rinty]

Rick:

You could also watch the weather patterns just before your trip, and make a go decision if it looks like there will be nice big high pressure system in place for a few days.

That was my practice when I used to fly VFR on multi day trips.

Rinty