A Climate of Contrasts
The Apache Southwest is not uniformly hot and dry. Elevation does much of the work. Desert basins can be very hot in summer, while the same region’s high mountains and plateaus, such as the White Mountains and the Sacramento Mountains, can be cool in summer and snowy in winter. A single Apache nation might have homelands that include both extremes, and weather differences between valley and mountain explain a great deal about how people used the land.
The Rhythm of the Year
Across much of the region, the year has a recognizable pattern, though it varies from place to place and year to year.
Late winter and spring. Cold storms can bring snow to the high country and rain to lower areas, and the amount varies widely. By late spring, conditions often turn very dry and warm. This foresummer dry period, typically ending around late June or early July, is a hard season for plants and water sources.
Summer. The summer monsoon typically brings moist air into the region, with afternoon thunderstorms building over the mountains. The rains are often short, intense and uneven, so one canyon may flood while a neighboring valley stays dry. Streams that were dry can run suddenly, and flash floods are a real hazard. The monsoon generally continues into September.
Autumn. After the rains, the weather is usually clearer, and the cooler season is when many nuts and fruits ripen. Nights become colder, especially at elevation.
Winter. Cold nights, frost and snow are common in the mountains, while lower areas are milder. A second, winter rainy season is often important in southern Arizona, so there are two periods of moisture in a typical year in some areas.
Seasonal Movement
Climate shaped what many Apache families did and where they went. Across the region, communities took part in seasonal rounds that followed the ripening of foods and the availability of water. The Western Apache seasonal round, for instance, combined planting and tending crops in summer with gathering and hunting at other times of year. These patterns varied among groups, and the farming emphasis of some Western Apache families differed from the more mobile life of some other groups at various periods.
Some typical elements, described generally, include:
- Planting in suitable valleys in spring and early summer, relying on stream water or seasonal rain, where farming was practiced.
- Spring harvest of agave, whose roasting is described in the article on mescal roasting.
- Summer gathering of cactus fruit where such plants grew, which is the subject of the cactus fruit harvest article.
- Autumn trips to oak and pinyon country, a practice explored in the article on acorn and pinon gathering.
- Winter movement to lower, warmer elevations or sheltered camps, with hunting continuing.
Winter was also a season associated with the telling of certain stories among several Apache groups, as covered in the article on the winter storytelling season, though practices differ among nations and sources.
Dry Spells and Drought
The Southwest has always experienced years with little rain. Droughts affect crops, wild plants and game, and families historically responded by moving, relying on stored food, or changing their activities. In modern times drought remains a concern, and the article on drought and wild foods considers how reduced rainfall can affect traditional plants. Climate patterns can also change over longer periods, and scientists continue to study them, so it is wise to be careful about drawing simple conclusions from short records.
Weather and Reservation Life
Seasonal movement became more restricted when reservations were established and people were limited to defined areas. Access to gathering places, hunting grounds and farmland was often curtailed, which made weather extremes harder to manage. Today, communities on Apache lands live with the same weather but use modern roads, housing, and water systems.
Practical Notes for Visitors
- Summer thunderstorms are most likely in the afternoon. Avoid canyons and dry washes when storms are nearby, even if the sky overhead is clear.
- Dirt roads on reservations and in national forests can become impassable when wet.
- Heat in low desert areas can be dangerous. Carry plenty of water and avoid strenuous activity in the middle of the day.
- At high elevations, nights can be cold even in summer, and roads may close because of snow in winter.
- Check current conditions and any road or area closures on the relevant nation’s official site or with land managers before traveling.
Weather also affects ceremonies and public events, which may be moved or postponed, and visitors should not expect schedules to be fixed.