Amarillo Questions (Hereford, Plains: crime, house, allergies)

[Trailhiker]

Can anyone elaborate on these aspects of Amarillo. I have read many threads, but many only touch on these subjects.

Winter weather...I know Amarillo gets snow and cold. People have commented about how "bad" the winter is. But are they comparing it to say, other parts of Texas when they say that. Obvious it would seem bad. I have lived in the Northeast US, the northern Plains, and the Rocky Mountains. Is it really any worse than any of those places? And how well does the city do at clearing the snow when it does fall?

Wind and Hail...I know Amarillo is windy, it is in the top 5 for windy cities in the US I think. I would rather have wind than stagnant air that causes allergies. But my question is, Does the windy frequently reach the levels where it is destructive? Also, how often is the hail big enough to be really destructive?

Crime...I have heard that the north side of Amarillo is the side to avoid, and that it is where most of the minorities live. Is there really any reason that the average person would need to go to that part of town on a routine basis?

Smell...I have read more than once that Amarillo smells due to nearby stockyards. Is the smell worse in certain areas, and do you ever get used to it? Does it make your clothes and hair smell?

Amarillo appeals to me in many ways...cost, size, moderate temps, I-40 access, less rain, fairly conservative, friendliness, and a decent airport.

I would appreciate your thought about the above subjects to help me get a better understanding of what to expect.

Thank you in advance for your time.

[queso2992]

Before I start my answer, let me preface it with I don't live in Amarillo. My grandparents do and have for many more years than I have been alive, so I have grown up going to visit them several times a year. I think I know quite a bit about the town but obviously not as much as someone who lives there all of the time. My mom talks to my grandparents very frequently, so I often hear about the weather and any other big happenings in Amarillo. That being said, take my comments how you would like.

The weather does not get that bad compared to what you are probably used to. There is usually a couple big storms each winter but the main problem with snow is that the wind causes major snow drifts. The city is pretty good with plowing snow on the highways and major streets but they don't really plow any side streets.

It is very windy which can get annoying, but I haven't heard of any major destruction or anything of the sort. I'm pretty sure that the hail is just like everywhere else in the south. It can sometimes be destructive but not very often. There may not even be bad hail storms each year, they are that infrequent.

I can't comment much on the crime part. My grandparents live in the southeastern part of Amarillo and while there are quite a few groupings of minorities in that area, they never have problems with crime at their house or in the area.

The smell does get pretty bad for someone not used to it but the good news is that it really only smells when the wind blows in certain directions. It never gets in my clothes but I don't live there all the time, if that makes a difference. Some days are worse for smells than others but I'm sure you will get used to it quickly.

Amarillo is a pretty good town, if you don't mind being surrounded by lots and lots of nothing.

[bwsantafe]

As far as winter goes its subjective. This last winter we had snow on the ground more often than not but it only got above a foot once. Even when the snow sticks it usually doesn't last very long. The problem is you can count on new snow falling pretty quick.
Amarillo doesn't smell, however, Hereford does and when the wind blows right, or wrong depending on your outlook, you can smell it! The good news is after about a year you really won't notice it.
The northside is the bad side but I hardly ever lock my doors. It really is a great place to live and it has one of the best airports I've ever used.
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