WEATHER and ATTIRE at the CONFERENCE

What should you expect of the weather during the ICED 2008 Conference, and how will that affect what you bring with you?

Expect beautiful, sunny, SPRING days with occasional slight, cool breezes. This is not summer weather; neither very-warm temperatures nor rain is typical at this time of year. High temperatures are generally just under 80F (26C) in the afternoons, and overnight low temperatures are about 60F (15C). These temperatures are accompanied by very low relative humidity (averaging around 40%). This means that the higher temperatures here will feel much cooler than the same temperatures at most locales with higher humidity. The low humidity means very dry air; plan to drink lots of water, and bring lotion for your skin.

What does this weather suggest for conference attire and other packing considerations?

The spring days invite light-to-medium weight fabrics for long pants (or skirts/capris) with short-sleeved or long-sleeved shirts. The mountain sun can easily burn light skin; if you anticipate much time outdoors, consider long pants (or capris) and long-sleeved shirts and hats. The cool nights (and the air-conditioned meeting rooms) invite lightweight sweaters, shawls, and sport jackets.

Conference dress/attire is “business casual” or “smart casual” or “resort casual” which is less formal than “business attire” (suits/dresses)—but certainly NOT very casual (i.e., ragged jeans, short shorts, and bare tops are inappropriate). No conference events are “formal.” However for the Saturday night banquet, some conference attendees may want to dress up a bit: dresses, suits, “dressy” pants/skirts, sport coats, ties optional. A jacket, sweater, shawl, or coat is highly recommended for the Saturday evening banquet; the mountain lodge is IN the mountains, much higher in altitude than the valley, and hence, will be much cooler (probably in the 40s-50sF [4-10C]).