Question for cold weather to Az transplants (Phoenix, Yuma: renting, house)

[JGatti]

Some of you may remember me posting here and there over the years in the Az forum. For those who don't, I live in Michigan and we have thrown around the idea of moving to Arizona over the the years. I had 4 days off from work this week for the holiday and a something struck me like a brick yesterday. As much as I hate to admit it this the older I get the more lazy this cold weather seems to make me. Not just me but my family as well. My son and I sat around with blankets on watching T.V and renting movies for the better part of my time off I do enjoy winter and snow but living in lower Michigan we don't get enough to enjoy these days and the fact there are no good jobs up north keeps us here.
So to the transplants from cold to Az I ask this. Have you found yourself to be more active living there? Or is it just reversed in the sense that you find yourself indoors during the scorcher part of the year when it's 110 + and you have no desire to go outside? From what I understand it can be pretty brutal from June until September at times. So 4 months of ungodly heat vs 3 months of snow and cold keeping you inside. Do you find this to be the case? I've always believed you can dress up for cold, but you can only dress down so much for heat. How would you compare how active you are etc?

[gemstone1]

Arizona very climate/scenery diverse, unlike MI in winter where it is just cold from north to south. In AZ, one can choose the northern mountains for a climate similar to MI in winter and summer...(just way less humidity)...or one can choose any of the dozen or so micro climates in the lower elevations. It'll be flip flops and t shirts in Yuma today...but in the midst of summer, I am somewhere cooler.

Regards
Gemstone1

[observer53]

I'm not a transplant, but the difference to me would be that even in the desert areas, you CAN go outside, and be outside, in the morning hours and evenings. It's tougher during the part of the summer when the humidity is higher, but still doable. In MI when it's cold in the winter, it's cold 24 hours a day.

[teddyearp]

JGatti, I have been transplanted from Pinetop, AZ to Randle, WA in the NW, and I have found that the constant cold in the winter up here without a quick trip to warmer climes as could be found in AZ to warm up and refresh; coupled with the constant rain, some years always grey and rainy even in the summer has me much less active than I remember myself to be when I lived in AZ. I just pray that it's not my advancing years.

But, my perspective is not from one who used to have to endure the 100+ temps during the summer, since I lived up on the mountain (Pinetop). I do remember that there were some weekends during the winter I would just lay about, but some (when I could afford it) I would go to the lower altitudes and get warmed up and a bit of refreshing energy.

I pray that I can return to the mountain someday . . . . the best of both worlds.

[~PaperMoon~]

For me, I've been more active here in Arizona verses where it's cold in winter. I walked to work all year round before my job changed buildings. I still walk just about everywhere, and bike ride a lot more than I did in the cold climate. I've lost a lot of weight since moving here. The heat in the summer is more bearable than cold because in the hottest part of the year, it's still cooler out in the early morning and later in the evening. It's only during the 12:00-4:00 pm time when the sun is the hottest. So you can still go out and get some air and exercise in the early morning or later evening but in winter up north it's cold all day and snow is everywhere. It's hard to bike ride or walk in the snow and cold.

[GSXRScott]

Originally Posted by observer53

In MI when it's cold in the winter, it's cold 24 hours a day.

I disagree. When we hit 100 degrees, usually the first or second week of May, its hot every single day, day or night, until the end of September. August is the worst doling out 110 degrees and 10% humidity during the day and 100 degrees and 50% humidity when the storms roll in around 4pm. Yuck!!!

On the other hand, in Phoenix you can escape to the mountains in just a couple of hours whereas in the Northern midwest you pretty much have to fly somewhere to escape the cold.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by GSXRScott

I disagree. When we hit 100 degrees, usually the first or second week of May, its hot every single day, day or night, until the end of September. August is the worst doling out 110 degrees and 10% humidity during the day and 100 degrees and 50% humidity when the storms roll in around 4pm. Yuck!!!

On the other hand, in Phoenix you can escape to the mountains in just a couple of hours whereas in the Northern midwest you pretty much have to fly somewhere to escape the cold.

Yes, it's still hot (less so at night in May, but it doesn't cool off a lot for a good part of the summer), but in the dark, it's more tolerable. In the dark in the Michigan winter, it's colder. I'd rather be outside on an Arizona summer night than a Michigan winter one, by a mile. As I've said before, we don't have to shovel heat. And, we do have the easy escape by car, as you suggest.

[GSXRScott]

Originally Posted by observer53

As I've said before, we don't have to shovel heat. And, we do have the easy escape by car, as you suggest.

I understand that a lot of folks from the northeast and upper midwest are sick of the cold and snow but keep in mind that going from those locations to Phoenix takes you from one extreme to another. Phoenix has one of the highest annual average and high temperatures of any city in the world.

Humans are warm blooded animals so our bodies are designed to be less active in hot weather and more active in cold weather. That's why people get tired much more easily when it's hot out. The body is purposely telling you that it's too hot and that you should decrease your activity level. Conversely, when it's cold the body tries to increase a persons activity by making you shiver and giving you more energy to generate heat.

For people who cant stand to be indoors 24/7, summers in Phoenix are brutal. You're tired all the time and have to drink tons of water to stay hydrated. [side note: I'm thoroughly convinced that the reason people in Phoenix are so rude and bitchy is due to the fact that they're dehydrated and dont realize it; I was shocked at how nice, easygoing and pleasant everyone was when I lived in Denver and Kansas City; the difference was significant]

To make matters worse, Phoenix has a isht load of pavement, much much more so than any of the other cities I've lived in, those being Denver, Basalt, Kansas City and Eugene (summer evenings in Kansas City and Denver are sooooooo pleasant and enjoyable). All that pavement just soaks up and stores all the heat, so the city never really has a chance to cool down at night. Try taking a thermometer out in front of your house and holding it about 3 feet above the surface of your street during a July day. My roommates and I did this when I was in college and got a reading of over 140 degrees!!

If you go out in the desert at night, it's really not that bad but evenings in the city suck!! The humidity goes up because the moisture in the upper atmosphere cools and settles back to the earth not to mention the fact that the parks, as well as those that have grass in their yards, tend to water at night which makes it.......not sticky like Florida but definitely worse IMO.

Of course, the logical solution to being cold??? Put on more clothes!!!! When it's cold out you can always put on a pair of long johns and a coat but there is no amount of clothing you can take off that will make the heat bearable. I'm an Engineer/Building inspector and spent many days standing outside on a construction site in single digit temperatures when I lived in Denver and Kansas City but with my long underwear, gloves, hat and Carhartts on I was plenty cozy and warm.

[observer53]

Reactions to extremes of hot or cold weather are entirely personal, and no one can predict for someone else how they will feel about extreme weather. Some tolerate the summer nights here better than others. Piling on layers of clothes in cold winter weather isn't pleasant for some people. What works for you, or me, is applicable only to the two of us, not necessarily the OP or others in a similar situation. It's really not something to argue about.

[Virtual Beekeeper]

Originally Posted by GSXRScott

side note: I'm thoroughly convinced that the reason people in Phoenix are so rude and bitchy is due to the fact that they're dehydrated and don't realize it

I Have to agree with the Above, The desert is different and moving from the upper mid-west to Arizona is drastic.
It is said that there are two kinds of people, Desert people and Non-desert people. I consider myself a desert people, and in saying that, Phoenix makes me Sweat! man-oh-man. I dread doing into that environment. Also, The Phoenix environment should not be used to gauge any other place in the southwest.

That said, (and getting back to GSXRScott's remark) I advice people who are visiting or new to the desert this bit...
Remember if your not watering the cactus , your not drinking enough water!