Snowbirds are those who travel to warmer climates during the winter and colder climates during the summer, following good weather to stay comfortable. Many nomads are snowbirds, especially those with uninsulated vehicles, but many non-nomads make these trips as well, especially retirees who don't have work obligations to stay in one place. Snowbirding reduces the need for expensive and bulky amenities like air conditioning.
Annual weather patterns and forecasts play a large role in the lives of snowbirds. (See the weather page for weather resources for nomads.) Common location targets include daytime highs of 60-75°F. These highs may seem too cool, but snowbirds often camp in full sun to harvest solar power.
Latitude and elevation
Changing your latitude is the most common snowbirding technique: move toward the Equator in the winter, and away from it in the summer. Climate averages increase as one approaches the equator[1], at a rate of roughly 1°F per 50 miles traveled in latitude. This video shows how the latitude of 70°F. changes throughout the year.
Changing your elevation above sea level is a technique for seeking better temperatures with less distance than changing latitude On sunny days with low humidity:[2]
- For every 100 meters in elevation change, expect about 1°C temperature change.
- For every 1000 feet in elevation change, expect about 5.5°F temperature change.
During periods of rain, snow, high humidity, or cloud cover, expect less of a change:
- For every 100 meters in elevation change, expect about 0.6°C temperature change.
- For every 1000 feet in elevation change, expect about 3.3°F temperature change.
In mountainous areas, changing your elevation to get a better ambient temperature is almost always a lot faster and cheaper than driving somewhere at the same elevation. Read more about elevation changes …
In order to alter the temperature by 10°F, you could either:
- change elevation by ~3000'; or
- change latitude by ~500 miles; or
- some combination of the two.
United States
In the eastern US, snowbirds will typically move further south into Florida with cold weather and up as far as Canada in warm weather.
In the central US, snowbirds may move to the Gulf Coast (Texas, Louisiana) during winter and up into the mountains of Colorado or further north in the summer.
In the western US, snowbirds often move to sea level in southern Arizona or California in the winter, and either up in elevation (New Mexico) or latitude in the summer.
Many people prefer to stay at Long Term Visitor Areas in winter months.
Wintering areas
Wintering areas will be closer to the equator and/or lower in elevation.
Popular locations include:[3], [4]
- Ehrenberg AZ (305')[5] -- free camping, cell coverage
- Quartzsite AZ (879')[6] -- free camping, cell coverage
- Tucson AZ (2389')[7] -- free camping, cell coverage
- Yuma AZ (141')[8] -- free camping, cell coverage
- Coronado CA (16')[9] -- free camping, cell coverage
- Slab City (not a conventional place) (71')[10] -- free camping, cell coverage
- El Centro CA (-42')[11] -- free camping, cell coverage
- Holtville CA (-10')[12] -- free camping, cell coverage
South Texas
- Padres Island - Padre Island National Seashore
Summering areas
Summering areas will be farther from the equator and/or higher in elevation.
- area around Flagstaff (6,910')[13], but not Flagstaff proper. -- free camping, cell coverage
- Ft. Bragg (46')[14] -- low elevation but with an "extreme maritime effect of the Pacific Ocean..."[15] -- free camping, cell coverage
- Leadville (10,152')[16] -- free camping, cell coverage
- Pike National Forest (~9,500)[17] -- free camping, cell service
- Steamboat Springs (6,732')[18] -- free camping, cell coverage
- Michigan coast of Lake Michigan -- free camping, cell coverage
- north shore of Lake Superior -- free camping, cell coverage
- outside Santa Fe (up to 10,000')[19] -- free camping, cell coverage
- Ruidoso, 7000'+
- Cloudcroft, 8000'+
- Note: New Mexico has an annual camping pass available.
- coastal areas -- free camping
- Mt. Hood National Forest -- free camping, cell coverage
Spring and fall
Theory: elevations around 3,000' may be good for "shoulder season" camping. Arizona
- Cottonwood (3,314')[20] -- free camping, cell coverage
- Winslow (4,850')[21] -- free camping, cell coverage
Florida
- Ocala National Forest (104') --
Nevada
- Carson City (4,802')[22] -- cell coverage
- Pahrump (2,697')[23] -- free camping, cell coverage
New Mexico - most of NM is at higher elevation.
- Las Cruces area (4,000') -
Utah
- St. George (2,900') --
- Hurricane (3,200') --
Apps
- Chasing70degrees - a paid web-based app to help you find places in the continental United States within temperature bounds you set. Price for lifetime access is $10 in 2024.
Resources
| Search forums and groups | Search van life discussion groups for "snowbirds" | |
| Search related sites | Search van life sites for "snowbirds" | |
| Search NomadLife.wiki | Search other pages on this wiki for "snowbirds" |
Some or all of the content on this page was originally sourced from this page on RVWiki
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate
- ↑ https://www.onthesnow.com/news/does-elevation-affect-temperature/
- ↑ http://www.cheaprvliving.com/forums/Thread-Winter-boondock-CA-NM?pid=257155#pid257155
- ↑ http://www.cheaprvliving.com/forums/Thread-Winter-boondock-CA-NM?pid=257149#pid257149
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ehrenberg,_Arizona
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartzsite,_Arizona
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tucson,_Arizona
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuma,_Arizona
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coronado,_California
- ↑ https://freecampsites.net/#!2008&query=sitedetails
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Centro,_California
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holtville,_California
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flagstaff,_Arizona
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Bragg,_California
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Bragg,_California#Climate
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leadville,_Colorado
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pike_National_Forest#Climate
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steamboat_Springs,_Colorado
- ↑ https://freecampsites.net/#!1610&query=sitedetails
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cottonwood,_Arizona
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winslow,_Arizona
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carson_City,_Nevada
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pahrump,_Nevada