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Snowbirds
A snowbird is a traveller who “follows the weather” to stay comfortable. Common targets include daytime highs of 65-75F. These highs may seem too cool but snowbirds often camp in full sun to harvest solar power.
Snowbirding reduces the need for expensive and bulky amenities like air conditioning.
altitude
A general rule of thumb is that the temperature will drop 3.5F for every 1000' increase in elevation.1) Low humidity will cause a greater swing, as it does when the sun goes down in the desert. A theoretical location with 0% humidity would see a 5.4F drop per thousand while a 100% humid location would see only 2.7F.2)
= 7000' is a good rule of thumb for summer boondocking.3)
Nomads who regularly change altitude significantly may benefit from fuel injected (FI) vehicles over carbureted ones; FI systems automatically compensate for varying oxygen levels.
latitude
Climate averages increase as one approaches the equator4), at a rate of roughly 1deg F per 50 miles traveled in latitude.
efficiency
In order to alter the temperature by 10F one could either:
- change elevation by ~3000'; or
- change latitude by 500mi, about the length of Nevada's eastern border5); or
- some combination of the two
general patterns
On the east coast, 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, Lousiana) during winter and up into the mountains of Colorado or further north in the summer.
In the west, 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.
wintering areas
Wintering areas will be closer to the equator and/or lower in elevation
Popular locations include:6), 7)
- Arizona
- California
- Florida
- south Texas
- Padres Island - Padre Island National Seashore
summering areas
Summering areas will be farther from the equator and/or higher in elevation.
- Arizona
- California
- Ft. Bragg (46')17) – low elevation but with an “extreme maritime effect of the Pacific Ocean…”18) – free camping, cell coverage
- Colorado
- Michigan
- Michigan coast of Lake Michigan – free camping, cell coverage
- Minnesota
- north shore of Lake Superior – free camping, cell coverage
- Nevada
- New Mexico
- Ruidoso, 7000'+
- Cloudcroft, 8000'+
- Note: New Mexico has an annual camping pass available
- Oregon
- coastal areas – free camping
- Mt. Hood National Forest – free camping, cell coverage
spring/fall
Theory: elevations around 3,000' may be good for “shoulder season” camping. 
- Arizona
- Nevada
- Carson City (4,802')25) – cell coverage
- New Mexico - most of NM is at higher elevation.
- Las Cruces area (4,000') -
- Utah
- St. George (2,900') –
- Hurricane (3,200') –
weather
Annual weather patterns and forecasts play a large role in the lives of snowbirds
- long term patterns-
- medium term - 3 months high/low forecasts for the nation
- short term weather -
- U.S. wind patterns - windy.com
- U.S. fronts and precipitation from the NWS
