Upper Valley - Climate different than ELP? (El Paso, West: landscaping, to buy)

[ocean2026]

It was always rumored that the Upper Valley is a bit cooler in the summer than the rest of town.

Does anyone have any FACTS concerning this? Are there parts of the Upper Valley that differ from each other (micro-climates)?

[Muhnay]

I have heard the same.. it might not be more than 5 degrees though... I think its because its more wet land and moist there.. with more trees, so that would make it cooler.

[el borracho]

i dont have any facts on why and how it happens but it does, go down doniphan ,artcraft country club sunset at night with the windows down and you will feel it i heard it's because of the river and all the trees in the area

[Miner72]

Ask the mosquitos. One reason I chose to live in the east side heights area.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by ocean2026

It was always rumored that the Upper Valley is a bit cooler in the summer than the rest of town.

Does anyone have any FACTS concerning this? Are there parts of the Upper Valley that differ from each other (micro-climates)?

It is definitely cooler. 11 degrees cooler on hot summer days.

Under a tree, especially a big pine tree, it's always cooler if that counts as a micro-climate.

It's the lack of concrete. In town, the concrete and asphault radiate back the heat, but where there's no concrete and asphault, the ground and plants absorb the heat. If you step onto a lawn of green grass, you don't get the same blast of heat as you do when you step onto a black parking lot.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by el borracho

i dont have any facts on why and how it happens but it does, go down doniphan ,artcraft country club sunset at night with the windows down and you will feel it i heard it's because of the river and all the trees in the area

Check sometime in the spring when daffodils and flowering trees are already blooming in town but in the Valley, they are still two weeks away from blooming. I think it also has to do with the side of the mountain being angled to get the full effect of the sun's rays but where it's flat ground, the sun's rays are more at an angle. Mostly it's the concrete. The East side of town seems much hotter than the West side where there is more landscaping and trees.

Here the factor is the sun, certain trees absorb a lot of sun and heat, pines and mulberries but the mulberries are only found in the older parts of town.

Mosquitos are definitely a big drawback but so is the higher humidity which can defeat some of the cooler temperatures.

[Synopsis]

Originally Posted by malamute

Mosquitos are definitely a big drawback but so is the higher humidity which can defeat some of the cooler temperatures.

Ain't that the truth. I'll take lower humidity over a few degrees cooler. Where is The Valley relative to the rest of El Paso?

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Synopsis

Ain't that the truth. I'll take lower humidity over a few degrees cooler. Where is The Valley relative to the rest of El Paso?

There are two Valleys. Right before and right after town. The Mesilla Valley would include the entire river region at least from north of Las Cruces all the way to El Paso. It is very fertile, and good farmland, unfortunately it's being built up and paved over. There are still farms and small ranches, it's horse country. The Upper Valley is where the river heads toward El Paso, the Lower Valley is where the river heads out of El Paso and also supplies the water for Juarez and Zaragosa farmlands.

It's a different kind of El Paso in the valleys where you are eaten alive by mosquitos after July but see wild ducks, blue herons, egrets, raccoons, muskrats and even beavers if you walk along the ditches.

El Paso city limits include much of the Valleys.

[michaelmac500]

In summer, the upper valley stays cooler because of all the vegetation. The plant life does two things; it acts as a buffer against the sun, and it acts like a giant mild swamp cooler.

The first point is a no brainer, more shade helps to keep the high desert burning sun at bay. I live on the mountain side of I-10, and with the lack of shade everything heats up. Not only do you feel the heat from the sun, but the reflective heat off all the rock, brick, stucco, concrete and asphalt can really be intense.

The second point is less obvious. When plants transpire they release, along with oxygen, water molecules. The water molecules released into the dry desert air instantly evaporate. This acts like a giant mist machine, and can lower temps 5 degrees or more.

[WildWestDude]

It tends to be more humid and the air is more stagnant, so I would avoid the upper valley area if I had to buy a house.