Chapala vs. SMA Climatology - the facts!

[Xcalaker]

OK amigos, amigas y vecinos.

This has probably been done before but I had to find out for myself.

WHICH HAS THE BETTER WEATHER...SAN MIGUEL OR CHAPALA?

You can interpret the data anyway you want but according to the data,

Chapala is warmer in the Winter but also COLDER in the Winter than SMA.

SMA is overall COOLER in the Summer.

Chapala has slightly more rainfall.

It all depends on personal preference but there really is not much difference.

You can download the spreadsheet here if you like.

[Mad_Max]

okay - just the facts

your link for chapala data sources goes to http://www.engagesite.com/SnapShots/SMA_Chapala_Climatology.JPG

which is not a credible source- I don't think engagesite has a weather station - or relationship with one - at Lakeside - maybe just an opps

The only weather station lakeside that I am aware of has a relationship with weather underground (or used to) is chapala weather net - and I am not aware of another one that has a relationship with weather.com -

if that is true, that means the figures are probably put together based on modeling for lakeside - rather than actual - unless they pull data from the weather station in riberas.......

so just asking where the lakeside numbers come from............

[alex45920]

Most online weather services use data provided by the next closest publicly operated weather station. For instance, for the Chapala area, they will use data from Ixtlahuacan or the Guadalajara airport. Conditions here often vary greatly from conditions at those locations. In general, the Chapala area tends to be cooler in the day and warmer in the evening when compared to those locations.

You may want to recheck your data using the records of the local, private weather station located in Riberas. Here's the link:

http://chapalaweather.net/

[lakeside7]

Seems the difference is minimal, but there is a altitude difference to consider...so numbers do not always tell the true story

[Xcalaker]

your link for chapala data sources goes to http://www.engagesite.com/SnapShots/SMA_Chapala_Climatology.JPG

which is not a credible source- I don't think engagesite has a weather station - or relationship with one - at Lakeside - maybe just an opps

The only weather station lakeside that I am aware of has a relationship with weather underground (or used to) is chapala weather net - and I am not aware of another one that has a relationship with weather.com - if that is true, that means the figures are probably put together based on modeling for lakeside - rather than actual - unless they pull data from the weather station in riberas.......

so just asking where the lakeside numbers come from............

If you read all the info you would see the data sets are from weather.com for Chapala and San Miguel de Allende. How (and exactly where) wetaher.co collects this data I have no idea.)

The URL is just a link to the data I complied and put on a server. The data is credible only to the extent weather.com is credible.

If someone has a link to other historical data or averages, I will happy to toss them into the mix as well.

[gringal]

As a three year veteran of actually living in San Miguel in a barrio near downtown before moving here, I will tell you this: Your plants may freeze in the winter. You may get hail the size of golf balls. You will be colder than here in winter. Summer heat about the same.

There is no comparison between here and Guadalajara. Much different temperatures, especially the heat.

No weather station report here: just body memory.

[Xcalaker]

Seems the difference is minimal, but there is a altitude difference to consider...so numbers do not always tell the true story

According to Google Earth, Ajijic Plaza is 5,067 ft. The Jardin in San MIguel is 6,307 ft.

75º is 75º whether or not you are at sea level or 6,000 ft. No?

[Ginger]

Is there a competition?

[Xcalaker]

Is there a competition?

I think some folks think so.

I was just trying to cut away all the subjectivity and see what the difference in the weather REALLY is.

I have more research to do. The data I presented may NOT actually be in Chapala (more like Guad.)

and the data for SMA may be more like from Queretaro.

I reserve a chance for an update!

[Ferret]

I lived in San Miguel de Allende for nine years. It's very cold at night there in the winter months of Dec., Jan. and 1/2 of February...5 C or less. Your plants can freeze to death. In the summer the rainy season starts around mid July...May and June are stinkin' hot unless you're in the shade. Once the rainy season starts, you are just as likely to get hail as to get torrential downpours...either one can wreck your garden.

Lived six years on the coast and it goes without saying that it's brutally hot and humid from the beginning of June until the end of October. Rainy season there also starts around mid July and can also be torrential.

Have now lived here for two years...and it's juuuusssst right...moderate temperatures all year and mostly gentle rain that falls more frequently.

References...experience.

[Mad_Max]

If you read all the info you would see the data sets are from weather.com for Chapala and San Miguel de Allende. How (and exactly where) wetaher.co collects this data I have no idea.)

The URL is just a link to the data I complied and put on a server. The data is credible only to the extent weather.com is credible.

If someone has a link to other historical data or averages, I will happy to toss them into the mix as well.

The only reliable source of weather information that I am aware of for Lakeside is http://chapalaweather.net/ and that weather station is located in Riberas del Pilar. Weather may also vary between Chapala, Riberas and Ajijic - although not dramatically

[Xcalaker]

OK folks.

I think my earlier data is flawed.

I did however find some data from Servicio Meteorológico Nacional weather stations. Chapala & San Miguel.

On first look...it ceratinly appears the comments from the 'boots on the ground' will be proven correct.

I will repost the new data soon.

Sorry I engaged my mouth before I fully engaged my brain. Lo siento.

[Ferret]

No worries. That's generally how we learn. "Averages" can be very misleading...especially when there are extremes between day and night temperatures.

[alex45920]

Everyone knows the weather is better in Chapala than San Miguel. Or, as Bob Dylan once put it: "You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind is blowing."

[Mainecoons]

Compared to the real thing they have up north, either place the weather is pretty bucolic by comparison. Just got back from Fort Worth, in two weeks the temperature ranged between 38 and 90, the wind blew like crazy when it was cold. Won't find much of that sort of thing in either place.

Besides, we have the little guy with the spam key who goes around at 10PM and rolls up the sidewalks so we old farts can sleep. I am sure he's there even though I've not seen him because I fall asleep before he comes around.

[FHBOY]

Compared to the real thing they have up north, either place the weather is pretty bucolic by comparison. Just got back from Fort Worth, in two weeks the temperature ranged between 38 and 90, the wind blew like crazy when it was cold. Won't find much of that sort of thing in either place.

Besides, we have the little guy with the spam key who goes around at 10PM and rolls up the sidewalks so we old farts can sleep. I am sure he's there even though I've not seen him because I fall asleep before he comes around.

...except in front of Adelita's - the Spam Key guy must get there later .

[Hud]

Hard to really do much comparison between the two places. I found them to be so much different, yet enjoyable. People are good in both places, but have different agendas, different life styles. One has the Lake, the other, the Jardin and food, etc. One not important to many, nor the other to others. Kinda like Gto., so different, but with many pluses for those who live there. All have their problems, but somewhat different. All worth a trip and several days to enjoy.

[jrm30655]

After living here 5 years, I rarely think about the weather. If it is below 60, I wear jeans and a jacket. At 65, I wear shorts. In between, it is a tossup.

The guy with the wiper blades was at Superlake today. Don't think I've turned on the wipers in several years. That guy needs a new product.

[Xcalaker]

OK. just to save face, here is climatological data for San Miguel de Allende, Chapala, Guadalajara and Cuernavaca (just for kicks).

The data is old but spans 20 -30 years and was collected and published by Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN).

[Jim Bowie]

Thats how I remember SMA, colder in winter and less rainfall. Otherwise, nice.

[Mad_Max]

I still have the same question - what is the source of the data for Chapala as I really don't think Chapala has a weather station. The closest I could find would be Atequiza but that doesn't make sense.

Can you please provide a source for your data - even sourcing the national weather service data that you used for chapala would help - as I am sure I am not the only one wondering where the weather station in Chapala is and has been for 30 years.

As an added note - I agree with previous posters that weather is not going to be an issue when deciding to live in San Miguel or Lake Chapala - as each has its pluses and minuses - depends on what is important to you....

But back to facts - looking for facts about the chapala weather station as I think the facts are: it does not exist -

[Mainecoons]

The only Chapala weather station is the volunteer one in Riberas run by Steve the weather guy. People constantly try to apply GDL weather data to here and it just doesn't work because of the moderating effect of the lake which is confined to the caldera that we live in, surrounded by mountains.

[satnrose]

Is is going to rain? There used to be a vendor in the plaza area, with a tarp. If the tarp was up, rain. If not, no worries.

[Ajijic]

Based on past 4 years living in SMA and a year in Ajijic, as to weather, in a typical year SMA rainy season starts ~ June 18, 10 days after lakeside. In a normal year SMA receives 21" of rain and lakeside 32". Last year SMA received 15" as it did the year before. Hail is not common in either place but of course happens.

Almost every day the ultimate temperature reached at lakeside is the same as SMA; however, SMA reaches that temperature more slowly as nights are cooler due to elevation and no lake moderation effect.

In SMA centro frost is very rare but where we live, 3 km from Liverpool and at 6900 feet we can get down to freezing and a little below. This past winter was warmer and only one morning freezing. In SMA centro a cold night in winter is 38F about 10 F below lakeside.

SMA temperatures are closer to those of the Guadalajara airport. Below is a reliable weather station higher than centro at 2026 meters.

http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=20.914167,-100.744167

Compare to www.chapalaweather.net

IN SMA a fireplace, wall or portable heater is handy for a brief time to take off the morning chill. Also, many homes in centro adjoin other homes and therefore no windows on each side. Once a concrete build homes gets cold and no south facing windows, without a source of heat they stay cold. We also advise newcomers to seek a home with south facing windows if possible.

[Xcalaker]

I still have the same question - what is the source of the data for Chapala as I really don't think Chapala has a weather station. The closest I could find would be Atequiza but that doesn't make sense.

Can you please provide a source for your data - even sourcing the national weather service data that you used for chapala would help - as I am sure I am not the only one wondering where the weather station in Chapala is and has been for 30 years.

As an added note - I agree with previous posters that weather is not going to be an issue when deciding to live in San Miguel or Lake Chapala - as each has its pluses and minuses - depends on what is important to you....

But back to facts - looking for facts about the chapala weather station as I think the facts are: it does not exist -

Why don't you spend half as much time looking at the whole picture as opposed to dwelling on finding the fly in the ointment.

What part of:

*ALL DATA FROM SERVICIO METEOROLÓGICO NACIONAL de MEXICO

seems to evade you?

A weather station looks like this: