You used to know it was Summer when..................................

I don't have any hard stats handy, but IIRC the annual rainfall for our area in 2006 was just a little over 61 inches. Typically, during the summer, the highs top out a bit over 100 for about two weeks more or less, although the days may not be contiguous. During the winter, lows typically get down in to the lower 20s or high teens F, although once again, that's not all winter. Humidity rarely gets below 35%, although in the spring and fall with frontal passages we might have a few days here and there in the 25% to 35% range. There are a good number of nice days, but there are some real sauna days as well. Winters are generally damp and reasonably cold-ish, but not frigid by any means.

I don't know how that compares to the UK's weather.

We're going to west Texas the first week in June and I would like to go back to Big Bend National Park  (http://www.nps.gov/bibe/) on the Texas / Mexico border, but from what I've read the highs average about 115F down on the Rio Grande River. Up in the Chisos Mountains (same area) it's typically 75F. I guess a few thousand feet of altitude gain can do that for you in dry air. It's a rugged but beautiful area.

Maybe they have been eaten by all the cuckoos you have up there.

*Makes a note to visit the North to see Cuckoos on next trip*

A few years ago I went on a grueling (and that is no exaggeration) 12 hour trip trying to find the elusive Yellow-billed Cuckoo in Nevada, so a trip north would be a breeze.