SNOW ALREADY (AND DECEMBER PLANS)

The first real snow storm of the season has hit northern New Mexico and much of Colorado.  Around here, it means accumulations at elevations greater than 7,500 feet (my apartment is around 6,200) but there were near-blizzard conditions near Denver.  It's a fairly slow-moving system so snow is again in our forecast for tonight.  But, typical of Albuquerque,  we probably won't see any in the city (or it will melt quickly) and temperatures will again be in the mid-60's by tomorrow afternoon.

Last year was quite an anomaly as we saw quite a bit of the white stuff from about mid-October through April, alternating with days in the seventies and plenty of rain in January and February.  It certainly was the oddest year weather-wise since I'd moved to New Mexico in 1994.  We even had a white Christmas!

But I don't plan to be in Albuquerque for the Holidays this year.  December is shaping up to be a very hectic month, beginning with spending my birthday in London and a mid-month home-hunting trip to Portland.  I had planned to spend the week between those two journeys with relatives in the San Francisco area but, alas, I won't be able to do that.  I had originally been scheduled to leave for Nepal at the end of December but that's been postponed because of Maoist activity in the area.  I AM planning a "secret" trip to ease the disappointment of the cancellations but probably won't reveal my destination until I have already arrived.  (I've become weary of talking about future trips that end up getting delayed or not happening at all).

I can guarantee that if I do get to where I want to go, I probably won't be seeing any snow.  Stay tuned...