Arizona vs Mississippi (Phoenix, Tucson: home, university, pros and cons)

[CosmoBrandy23]

i have lived in mississippi my entire life (with the exception of myrtle beach/hilton head, sc for 6 months) and am curious about az.. i have always wanted to move west and cali is just too exspensive.. i have a few friends in the phx area.. i know that i wont really know what the differences are until i go out to az for a visit (thats in the works).. its humid as hell here and i hear dry as hell there.. i want the pros and cons of az.. i know all the cons to ms..ha..very few pros here.. thanks

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by CosmoBrandy23

i have lived in mississippi my entire life (with the exception of myrtle beach/hilton head, sc for 6 months) and am curious about az.. i have always wanted to move west and cali is just too exspensive.. i have a few friends in the phx area.. i know that i wont really know what the differences are until i go out to az for a visit (thats in the works).. its humid as hell here and i hear dry as hell there.. i want the pros and cons of az.. i know all the cons to ms..ha..very few pros here.. thanks

I'm not from Arizona, but am from next door south Louisiana. I found the summer heat in Tucson wasn't that awful, although it IS significantly dryer. And I found that the lower humidity means that it is very pleasant in the early morning/evening.

As to monsoons, I experienced a couple, and they're just nasty rainstorms. You do have the problem (or at least I found near the University in Tucson) that they don't have street drains, so the water tends to collect in a couple of areas. And if your vehicle is low to the ground, that will be a problem.

[Zonie5]

the way i look at the comparison of heat vs humidity is what doesit matter to he chicken . be it broiled or end in a stew .

[Phoenix lady]

Phoenix summers are hot as h*ll--and then some. Expect over 100 temps (frequ. into 110 range) from late May to mid-September, if you're lucky. Sometimes it goes into October. This year in the 100's till late October. It's dry, but like an oven when you open it. The monsoon in July/August breaks it up a bit, but doesn't help that much. You have traffic/congestion issues, too.
I don't know much about Tucson, but there are less people there. Summers a bit cooler. Not as nearly congested as Phoenix.
Northern Arizona is cooler/less crowded, but more expensive. Little rural towns in Arizona might suite you more--depends on what you're looking for.
Economy isn't great here now, but probably better than Mississippi. We drove through your state when we moved here years ago--it was raining hard that day.

[Sonave Sunsets]

Mind you I am bias being born and raised along the Colorado River, but having spent a week with an old girlfriend in her home town of Laurel, Mississippi in the middle of August and well as 2 years in the military in Clarksville, Tenn. I'd take the dry desert heat any day along with the endless views and minimal rainfall. I was a little jealous of people outside Laurel on rural properties that all seemed to have their own fishing ponds. That was pretty cool, but when I sweat, I like the idea of it running like water or evaporating vs. it just clinging to you in the high humidity.

[nitram]

Cosmo, the difference between Mississippi and Az is like the difference between day and night, culturally and climate wise.
You should come visit for 6 months or more before you decide what to do.

[drb85650]

Difference....I stood in the shade in Dallas Texas, mid 70's early May with sweat dripping off me.
I've taken walks in Phoenix, 103' in May, hardly broke a sweat.

I think the biggest adjustment you'd have would be the scenery. Comparitively, we've little greenery.
Our desert mountains appear baren, brown. Culture would be a close second. Most here are from somewhere else. Instead of asking "who's your family", here it is "where do you call home"? .
It's a great state, but very different from Mississippi.

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by CosmoBrandy23

i have lived in mississippi my entire life (with the exception of myrtle beach/hilton head, sc for 6 months) and am curious about az.. i have always wanted to move west and cali is just too exspensive.. i have a few friends in the phx area.. i know that i wont really know what the differences are until i go out to az for a visit (thats in the works).. its humid as hell here and i hear dry as hell there.. i want the pros and cons of az.. i know all the cons to ms..ha..very few pros here.. thanks

Very unique comparison request, Cosmo.

Having lived on the Mississippi Coast many years ago, I can assure you there are many differences.

Most of the earlier posts have addressed the weather which makes sense since it is usually the major concern. Simply put, the humidity is the killer as far as our comfort is concerned. I am in Tucson (elevation is the key) so the super extreme temperatures are rare, however, I can assure you that a 75 Degree Day in Biloxi is much more "draining" than a 100 Degree Day in Tucson. The comment about storm drainage in Tucson is correct but rarely an issue considering our annual rainfall probably equals the monthly average in Mississippi (8" to 10" or less) but Mother Nature has adapted very well. Another point about rain is that most of it hits during July and August which means the remainder of the year is perfect for outdoor activities.

As with any comparison . . . the pros and cons with Big Cities are fairly equal so if you are happy in a small town in Mississippi, I doubt you'll be happy in Phoenix. I am not the Big City type so I chose Tucson which I feel is a happy medium.

Good Luck

[AnywhereElse]

I spent one summer in Biloxi and 6 summers a few miles north of Tucson. Hot is hot - bake or steam. You won't break a sweat in Tucson in the summer because you will be dehydrating so quickly that you may not think you need to drink water which adds to the danger. Summer nights where the temps were in the 80's and during the monsoon when it is humid - not good. I love Arizona and we hope to go back soon. When we first arrived, being used to green, I thought the place was just dirty and dusty but overtime you can discover the unique beauty. I like that a lot of the people were highly educated, they had rules to protect animals, a healthy lifestyle is sort of valued there, the produce selection was always good. It will totally different.

[Bummer]

Good point, AnywhereElse . . .

The perspiration still flows but with Single Digit Humidity it just evaporates almost immediately.

Fools lots of folks not accustomed to the desert.