Compare Desert Heat to the Heat of the Deep South (Phoenix: apartment, house)

[alicenevada]

I am from Memphis Tennessee originally and I currently live in the hills of the Cumberland Plateau We have humid summers and last summer was the worst. If you've never experience 100 degrees w/ 67 percent humidity, let me describe it. It's like a steamroom. Very difficult to breath, sticks to your skin, clogs your pores, and weighs you down. Spending time in the sun is almost intolerable and the shade offers very little relief. Mold spores flourish and sinus infections are chronic for some people (like us).

During our visit to NV in April of last year and this year, it got into the nineties and was only about 4 percent humidity...we were in heaven. The heat restored us, made our joints feel good, dried up our sinuses (had to lubricate with saline even), and never got us down. We were contemplating a move in that direction already but this last visit really got us motivated. I've never been to the area (Az,Nv, or southern Ut) when the temps were at 110+ but I can't imagine that it would be as miserable as our summers here.

Has anyone else transplanted from our area and what is your opinion?

[ArizonaBear]

Wash DC native here:

In the direct sun; it is rougher than DC in the summer admittedly.

In the shade; I would take Phx on its nastiest day over any DC summer one

Humidity beats my butt up one side and down the other.

The Weather Calculator - Heat Index (http://www.srh.noaa.gov/elp/wxcalc/heatindex.html - broken link)

100F +67% = 139F heat index------which is much hotter than Phx's worst day. Hence 105F @ 10% humidity not even 'hot' IMHO.

[MaikeerinWA]

There are other "which is worse" threads, but I'll never forget the first time I visited Memphis years ago in July, when I was still an Arizona resident. The difficulty of breathing and the feeling of my shirt literally stuck to me - it was just awful. I've had similar experiences in places like New Orleans and Washington DC, and based on that, I would have to say that desert heat is a bit easier to deal with. Clearly 90 degrees in Las Vegas or Phoenix is less oppressive for most than the same temperature in Memphis. But personally I find Phoenix summers to be pretty unbearable, too, especially when the "dry heat" gets above 100.

I definitely think you'll enjoy the winter in Arizona.

Originally Posted by alicenavada

I am from Memphis Tennessee originally and I currently live in the hills of the Cumberland Plateau We have humid summers and last summer was the worst. If you've never experience 100 degrees w/ 67 percent humidity, let me describe it. It's like a steamroom. Very difficult to breath, sticks to your skin, clogs your pores, and weighs you down. Spending time in the sun is almost intolerable and the shade offers very little relief. Mold spores flourish and sinus infections are chronic for some people (like us).

During our visit to NV in April of last year and this year, it got into the nineties and was only about 4 percent humidity...we were in heaven. The heat restored us, made our joints feel good, dried up our sinuses (had to lubricate with saline even), and never got us down. We were contemplating a move in that direction already but this last visit really got us motivated. I've never been to the area (Az,Nv, or southern Ut) when the temps were at 110+ but I can't imagine that it would be as miserable as our summers here.

Has anyone else transplanted from our area and what is your opinion?

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by ArizonaBear

Wash DC native here:

In the direct sun; it is rougher than DC in the summer admittedly.

In the shade; I would take Phx on its nastiest day over any DC summer one

Humidity beats my butt up one side and down the other.

The Weather Calculator - Heat Index (http://www.srh.noaa.gov/elp/wxcalc/heatindex.html - broken link)

100F +67% = 139F heat index------which is much hotter than Phx's worst day. Hence 105F @ 10% humidity not even 'hot' IMHO.

Very useful link.

Thank you VERY MUCH

As usual, your posts are terrific.

Ken

[Subie]

I've lived in the South, NE, and Midwest, and AZ wins hands down on weather. Effin humidity. Move and don't look back! :P

[photobuff42]

I just moved to Missouri from Vegas. I did like the dry heat. The drawback is that the hot season lasts from May to October. I think there is nothing worse than a summer in Memphis though.

[JessicaK]

Look, I lived in a house without aIr condtioning in Phoenix when it was 128 degrees. I've never been that hot in my life, ever. And I've lived in New Orleans and Southern Alabama.

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by JessicaK

Look, I lived in a house without aIr condtioning in Phoenix when it was 128 degrees. I've never been that hot in my life, ever. And I've lived in New Orleans and Southern Alabama.

128F? The highest official temp here was 122F.

[alicenevada]

Living w/ no air in the desert? That seems like crazy talk. But I am wondering about heating/cooling bills. Here, we pay 200.00 a month for our electric. That is budget billing, where the utility company balences out what we pay so that our bill is the same every month of the year. I would imagine living in the Az, Nv area we would end up better off since we would probably be able to go a few months w/out heat or air. Am I wrong?

[ArizonaBear]

Originally Posted by alicenavada

Living w/ no air in the desert? That seems like crazy talk. But I am wondering about heating/cooling bills. Here, we pay 200.00 a month for our electric. That is budget billing, where the utility company balences out what we pay so that our bill is the same every month of the year. I would imagine living in the Az, Nv area we would end up better off since we would probably be able to go a few months w/out heat or air. Am I wrong?

OK; my apartment is about 750 SF and was built ca. 1961 here in the Phx area.

Average summer electric bill with the AC set to 77F is about $125 per month.
Average winter bill with the heat @ 68F......$40-65 each month.

Note that everything is electric here; stove, water heater, etc.