I never knew how much I missed Michigan till I lived in Tucson (Phoenix: station, rattlesnakes)

[actinic]

Originally Posted by ArizonaBear

Try again.

I was 20 years old when I left the DC area for the reason that I listed. Note I hated cold as a kid growing up.

Note I said 'generally'. Clearly there's the occasional exception.

[ZonyPony]

Originally Posted by actinic

Yeah all that AZ snowfall would bury MI because one town gets more! Top award for the most laughable conclusion this week.

Originally Posted by actinic

Sure, not only are people are dying to go but there's lots of historical interest in the older cemeteries, notably Civil War epitaphs seen on many tombstones.

Originally Posted by actinic

Older people generally feel that way. It trumps other factors that younger people find more important.

Originally Posted by actinic

Note I said 'generally'. Clearly there's the occasional exception.

Haha! Doesn't take much to smoke a Michigan zealot out!

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by actinic

Yeah all that AZ snowfall would bury MI because one town gets more! Top award for the most laughable conclusion this week.

This was just an example. There is a list of places in Arizona and entire regions that stretch the east/west distance of Arizona that record lower temperatures and much more snowfall than Flagstaff; from the border of New Mexico to the northwest stretches of the Grand Canyon and pockets elsewhere like the Sierras south of Tucson and Mt. Lemon north of Tucson. However, Flagstaff being relatively close to Phoenix, less than a 2 hour drive, it is a PRIME example of the diversity of climates in one state...in short distance. You just don't have that in Michigan or in any other state for that matter.

Throughout Arizona's snowy parts, the average annual snowfall exceeds 250-350 inches of snow per year! Hannigan Meadows records ghastly amounts of snow even in our current Arizona drought. The most snowfall EVER recorded in Michigan was in the very remote Keweenaw Peninsula, a small corner or the UP, which recorded nearly 200 inches of lake effect snow in the 70's. I'd say the snow in AZ would easy bury MI... And on top of that; it will still be sunny and pretty and not gray and depressing after a huge snow storm in Arizona.

[Bluefly]

Originally Posted by fcorrales80

This was just an example. There is a list of places in Arizona and entire regions that stretch the east/west distance of Arizona that record lower temperatures and much more snowfall than Flagstaff; from the border of New Mexico to the northwest stretches of the Grand Canyon and pockets elsewhere like the Sierras south of Tucson and Mt. Lemon north of Tucson. However, Flagstaff being relatively close to Phoenix, less than a 2 hour drive, it is a PRIME example of the diversity of climates in one state...in short distance. You just don't have that in Michigan or in any other state for that matter.

Throughout Arizona's snowy parts, the average annual snowfall exceeds 250-350ft. of snow per year! Hannigan Meadows records ghastly amounts of snow even in our current Arizona drought. The most snowfall EVER recorded in Michigan was in the very remote Keweenaw Peninsula, a small corner or the UP, which recorded nearly 200 inches of lake effect snow in the 70's. I'd say the snow in AZ would easy bury MI... And on top of that; it will still be sunny and pretty and not gray and depressing after a huge snow storm in Arizona.

250-300 FEET of snow? Haha. Nowhere in the world gets that, not even blistery Arizona....

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by fcorrales80

This was just an example. There is a list of places in Arizona and entire regions that stretch the east/west distance of Arizona that record lower temperatures and much more snowfall than Flagstaff; from the border of New Mexico to the northwest stretches of the Grand Canyon and pockets elsewhere like the Sierras south of Tucson and Mt. Lemon north of Tucson. However, Flagstaff being relatively close to Phoenix, less than a 2 hour drive, it is a PRIME example of the diversity of climates in one state...in short distance. You just don't have that in Michigan or in any other state for that matter.

Throughout Arizona's snowy parts, the average annual snowfall exceeds 250-350ft. of snow per year! Hannigan Meadows records ghastly amounts of snow even in our current Arizona drought. The most snowfall EVER recorded in Michigan was in the very remote Keweenaw Peninsula, a small corner or the UP, which recorded nearly 200 inches of lake effect snow in the 70's. I'd say the snow in AZ would easy bury MI... And on top of that; it will still be sunny and pretty and not gray and depressing after a huge snow storm in Arizona.

I generally agree with your post except for the portion I've marked in red. In regards to diversity of climates in one state (and in a short distance) the Pacific Northwest is even more extreme than Arizona. Here in Washington for example you can go from rainforest to glaciers to high desert in 2 hours (the only thing we're lacking in regards to climate that Arizona has is low desert).

Note that even the PNW has to bow to Hawaii in regards to finding the greatest climatic change in the shortest distance though. On either Maui or the Big Island of Hawaii you can go from tropical rainforest to subarctic alpine in under an hour and you can go from tropical rainforest to desert in 15 or 20 minutes. I've even seen pretty drastic changes in climate over a few hundred yards when rounding the SW corner of Haleakala. One minute you are in pretty much barren desert and less than a minute later you are in the midst of a towering eucalyptus forest. That's a pretty darned striking shift - and an indication of how a very subtle terrain change can create a striking climatic difference. Note that in that particular case, I'm not referring to a microclimate (a little pocket of one climate in the midst of another), I'm talking about a sudden change from one major climate zone to the next.

Not meaning to belittle the diversity of Arizona - it's certain one of the most diverse states (and extremely beautiful one too I might add) - but there are even more extreme climate variations in a handful of other states. Michigan is NOT included in that list. I do have to say though that I lived in Michigan as kid for over 4 years (more like 5 actually) and loved every minute of it. I think Michigan is a very beautiful state (underrated in that regard) with much to recommend it. Just too dang cold in the winter for me though - especially now that I'm such an old f*rt.

Ken

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by Bluefly

250-300 FEET of snow? Haha. Nowhere in the world gets that, not even blistery Arizona....

I think the poster meant inches.
World record snowfall is on the slopes of Mt Baker in Washington state (1,140 inches - or roughly 95 feet).

Ken

[actinic]

Originally Posted by ZonyPony

Haha! Doesn't take much to smoke a Michigan zealot out!

You obviously have zealotry and the simple pursuit of fact mixed up. If there's anything I've stated that isn't correct please speak up, but as many people have implored you to do over and over again please keep it focused on topic without resorting to personal attack.

[LordBalfor]

PS to fcorrales80 -

I did actually think of one specific case in Arizona that might well take the record for fastest climatic change in the shortest horizontal distance - off the edge of the Grand Canyon where you start out at 7,000 feet or so, and within a few short horizontal feet you can experience a climate 5,000 feet lower (that equates to probably 15-20 degrees difference in average temperature in maybe 100 horizontal feet - or less (even Hawaii can't match that - at least not without entering a cave or something).

That's a little too swift of a climatic change for me and I don't think I ever want to experience that sudden change first hand:EEK:

LOL

Ken

[fcorrales80]

Originally Posted by LordBalfor

I think the poster meant inches.
World record snowfall is on the slopes of Mt Baker in Washington state (1,140 inches - or roughly 95 feet).

Ken

LOL, yes thank you! I fixed my error and changed feet to snow! Wow, that would be pure torture! LOL

As for Washington state being more diverse in environments or climates I'd have to disagree. Hawaii, maybe, but the extent of the differences in other state compared to the range, depth, and regions in Arizona with TRUE biological environmental and climactic differences are non-existent. In Washington you have two general areas of biological diversity, the western and northern half of the state characterized by wet, pine covered regions and the eastern, southern half of the state is high desert or grassland. While there are glaciers in Washington and a small "rain forest" on the Olympic peninsula, there isn't a vast difference in climate zones.

In Arizona you have a variation that ranges from one of the hottest, barren sand covered deserts in the world, to vast Alpine Meadows. Just one of the indicators of the variation in climate in Arizona is that this state is home to the metropolitan area with the most days over 100 °F, and the other metropolitan area (in the lower 48 states) with nearly the most days of temperatures below freezing. Phoenix being the metro area with most days over 100° and Flagstaff being the other metro area with most days below 32°.

[actinic]

Originally Posted by fcorrales80

Throughout Arizona's snowy parts, the average annual snowfall exceeds 250-350 inches of snow per year!

On top of certain peaks? Whats your source?