adVentureMan

Memphis, TN, USA

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We are planning an RV trip Tucson, Flagstaff, Williams, Las Vegas, Bryce/Zion, Taos in the first week of April. I realize there are exceptions, but can anyone provide the 'normal' or 'typical' weather and temperatures we can expect? I've been trying to find links on weather, etc, but they almost always use the entire month of April. And I know there are exceptions; it snowed once on 1 April in Memphis, TN!
We are not used to towing the FW in ice or snow and would just find a safe harbor until the weather warms up............or change our route if the weather appeared to be staying.
Thanks.
Doug and Kathy
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Utahtea

San Francisco Bay Area, California

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We were in Zion one year and they got 4 inches of snow on April 1st. Everyone told us it was VERY unsual and the snow was gone the next day. I thought it was Mother Nature playing an April Fools joke on us. The other days were on the cool side.
In the mid 1970's we also ran into snow at Bryce and Zion on Memorial Day weekend but that was REALLY unusual. We've been in the area in May and had really nice weather.
Utahtea
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Bigdog

silverdale wa.

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Several years ago I tent camped from N.M. (Chaco Canyon 25 degrees on Easter Sunday nite) thru Blanding and camped at Natural Bridges,Goblin Valley,two nites at Capitol Reef N.P.,then up to Bryce for a nite of 6" of powder and 20 degrees ( the snow was gone by 9am),then over to Great Basin N.P. and past Steens Mtn in Oregon into Bend and it was a great trip..I never had a bit of trouble with snow or ice, but that's not saying that it couldn't happen... The only cg that wasn't full was at Bryce N.P. and Great Basin N.P....It was amazing how many people I met in rigs they had rented in Salt Lake and were doing spring break in the west...They had all flown in from the east coast for this.. The most interesting was two German couples in Class b's.. They had flown into Seattle and rented the rigs and were spending a couple of months visiting the N.P.s in the west... The only problem that I heard of was the women complaing about the snow at Bryce as they were wearing sandals.... I asked why they hadn't rented anything bigger and they said that this was what they used at home and were used to them....
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Leftcoaster

B. C. Canada

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A couple of years ago, we went from Phoenix to Flagstaff via the eastern route on the other side of the meteor crater area. Left Phoenix at about 9 am in mid Feb. and the temp was pushing into the 80s with high humidity. By the time we got to meteor crater, we were being pelted with sleet and the temp was hovering about freezing. Took about 3 hours to make it into Flagstaff (not many miles) because the temp kept dropping and the snow kept getting worse. Arrived at Flagstaff at about 8 pm to 40 mph winds and 8 degree weather. Next am it was totally clear and by 3 in the pm it was up to the high 50s and the snow was almost gone. So... What is the weather going to be like? Who knows, but iof it is bad, just wait a day and it will change.
Leftcoaster
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sparker1

St Petersburg, Fl, USA

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Tucson and Las Vegas aren't likely to get snow at that time, but the other locations might. If they do, it won't last long and the roads will clear quickly. Bryce is the highest elevation, thus more likely to get snow. You don't have to pull your FW there, you can stay close to Zion and make a day trip. Bottom line, you may have to adjust slightly due to snow, but the trip is worth that risk. I've seen a nice snowfall in Santa Fe, and I'd love to see some snow around Bryce and Zion, but my Navigator just won't let me leave Fl that early anymore.
Have a great trip.
Stan
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AridzonaShooter

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The "normal" weather will be clear. You'll be traveling over a fairly wide range of elevation, so temps can range anywhere from 20's at night to 70's during the day.
There is some chance that if a spring storm moves through you can experience anything from rain, hail, to snow. Any snow that time of year is likely to be gone the next day, so just pull into the nearest RV park and sit it out.
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JTMO

Novato, CA

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The nice thing is there will be water for the waterfalls and rivers.
You are used to water in TN, but we have fewer trees to block the view
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mileshuff

Phoenix, AZ.

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The Flagstaff area normally does not get much snow in early april. Normal afternoon temps are in the upper 50's and are nice. It will get below freezing at night.
Most storms that do come through the area in april produce only flurries at Flagstaffs elevation. For snow to stick would be an exception but it does happen every few years. If it does snow it will not last on the roadways more than one day. If it looks like snow there are RV parks in the Flagstaff/Grand Canyon region that are at slightly lower elevations. I do not have specific info on such parks but look into Cameron or Valle areas. Both are lower warmer elevations and only about 1/2 hour drive to the canyon.
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adVentureMan

Memphis, TN, USA

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Thanks very much for all the EXCELLENT information! I feel we're probably not going to have any weather problems than cannot be handled easily by stopping and waiting until things get nicer.
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