Hot! Hot! Hot! (Phoenix, Tucson, Tempe: to live, move, beach)

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by nitram

Com****r Guy I've been to FL in the summer when the heat was 90 degrees and the humidity was 95

In peak Miami summer heat, humidity is in the 50% range, which is quite high, but nowhere near 95% like all you people seem to believe.

[nitram]

Oh really, then you need to move down there and spend some time in the hot humid summers like others say it is. What do you call it when it rains. Most people say 100%.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by nitram

Oh really, then you need to move down there and spend some time in the hot humid summers like others say it is. What do you call it when it rains. Most people say 100%.

Ive been to Orlando (which is worse than Miami) several times, even in July when its at its worst. No doubt its horrible, but its not 90 degrees with 95% humidity. It can get to 95%, but like Ive said above, its in the early morning hours and late at night. Peak temps bring lower humidity levels.

[nitram]

Steve, I also checked with one of NOAA's sites and one of the Univ of Florida sites and they both mention the high heat, humidity and the dangers of it in Florida in some of their articles. And others on this site have also experienced it too, so I would say you are in the minority.

[mdtoaz]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

The only time the humidity gets that high is in the early morning/late night. If there is one thing I hate, its when people say "oh its soooo bad when its 85 degrees with 100% humidity" and yada, yada, yada. That doesnt happen, people! Its ridiculous listening to people tell their tall tales based on their ridiculous perceptions of what they thought the weather was.

Looking at Baltimore's weather, todays high was 54 degrees with humidity in the 40% range, which is similar to what Tucson's was early this morning. High humidity was 79% at 7 am, which the temp at that time was 40 degrees (about Tucsons low).
Baltimore, Maryland (21201) Conditions & Forecast : Weather Underground

Well, there's a reason I didn't say 100% humidity - that's called rain. Check back w/weather underground in August.

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

It was 15%-17% this afternoon, with over 40% in the morning.

Sorry, Steve, I was quoting the weather here in Northwest Tucson. Amazingly enough, it does vary greatly around the city.

Either way, super low compared to Jacksonville!

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by mdtoaz

We moved out here from Maryland in late July. We figured if we could hack it out here then, we'd be good. It really wasn't that bad. It's more humid at that time, but compared to the 95% humidity that we're used to in Maryland, it didn't feel humid at all.

I always have to chuckle when I hear people complaining about the humidity (I'm not ragging on you, Sierra). I'll grant you that it's hot and more uncomfortable than September, but at least I didn't feel like I was trying to breathe through a damp, hot sponge.

I hate the monsoons... not as much the humidity. Actually, this year was kinda unusual. It's not normally as humid unless it rains. You may hate May and June. I don't mind them at all! I was just saying that visiting during the worst months doesn't give you a complete picture of the situation.

I've got a coworker who moved from Maryland a few months ago. He looooves wearing his shorts all the time.

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by nitram

Oh really, then you need to move down there and spend some time in the hot humid summers like others say it is. What do you call it when it rains. Most people say 100%.

Believe it or not, nitram . . . I have actually seen 100% humidity in Florida (or 100% misery) and it was NOT raining!

Back to the original post . . . I'll take Arizona's weather over Florida's any time!

[Magnum Mike]

I've been outside in early July when it was 110 degrees, with only 10% humidity, and in Michigan in late June, when it was 92 degrees, with humidity way up there and neither are comfortable, but the low humidity definitely makes it less miserable.

On the other end of the scale, I've been in Oregon's freezing rain and snowy weather, and with a power outage that lasted 3 days in November of 1996, I figured 110 degrees in July didn't cause that many problems in Phoenix. That's why I came back to my home state in February of 1997.

[Boatdrinks]

I'd take AZ in August over FL in August any day. FL is brutal in the summer. You drip sweat all day and it's miserable. I truly can't stand humidity. I don't care if it's 60% or 90% - in my book, it's all semantics when you get above 50% or so. Either way, you always look like you just walked out of the shower, but you always feel like you need a shower. Blech!

That said, summer in AZ is rough. It's hot and it's long. Really long. Monsoon brings humidity too, so you won't be escaping that completely. You just don't get as much of it here as you do in FL. And don't forget we don't have the fabulous beaches and ocean that you guys do.

Definitely come visit a few times during the summer before you decide. My recommendation is to NOT move here if it's just for the weather, but I'd say that for any state too.