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For warm weather people 101 in PHX is tolerable, 101 in OKC is intolerable.
The highest average high for Oklahoma City is 93.1 degrees, the highest average high for Phoenix is 106.2. Phoenix hold a special seat for hot in America.
Humidity feels far worse than desert heat. But desert heat is dangerous because humidities are so low it can quickly dehydrate the body. So I wouldn't want to get stuck outside in the middle of nowhere on a hot day in either place. But as for living in the place normally, I'd prefer the southwest because humidity feels awful.
Plus in the southern great plains you get nasty things like ice storms.
I guess some might find the desert too boring and too sunny.
I lived in Central Texas for a few years, in addition to living in SoCal for most of the rest.
To me, I found the variety of weather in Central Texas to be far more interesting than the regular Southwest weather.
Tornadoes suck, but the thunderstorms are cool and I tend to like rain (maybe because I grew up without much of it). I'll vote for the humid Southern Great Plains...
Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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The Southwest has a lot more variation in its weather due to various topography and elevations. The whole region doesn't bake as much as Phoenix. Albuquerque has awesome summers with highs usually in the 90's daily and dry air (which feels nicer than 80 and humid in my opinion) and cools off nicely at night into the low 70's or high 60's. I love the abundant sunshine and occasionally quick afternoon rain showers in the summer.
Also Flagstaff, AZ way up in the mountains (only a 2 hour drive from Phoenix) has lots of shade from the pines and is usually in the 80's when Phoenix is say 105.
Last year in San Antonio (2011), most of the summer was 100-103 with "normal" humidity levels for the area. Late August a front came through and knocked out just about all of the humidity, which let the temperatures get up to 108-111 for a couple of days. But those couple of days near 110 actually felt a bit better than the normal 101-102 days with higher humidity.
Sweat drying off your skin feels so much nicer than it dripping off of your face.
I was born and raised and still live in Phoenix and the heat does suck in the summer. It's dry but unless you're in a pool it is unbearable to be outdoors for too long in the middle of August no doubt. I lived in Ohio for a short 6mon and although it's not quite as humid as the southern states it was humid enough but I personally don't find the humidity that intolerable. With all of the rain Ohio gets the mugginess in the air does get a little dreadful. I personally prefer the southwest heat because at least you're never far from the mountains/higher elevations to escape to to cool off. You really can't escape the humidity in other parts of the country. There is AC everywhere though and the winters are fantastic in Phoenix. I hated winter in Columbus, OH.
Not all of the southwest is hot, mainly the Phoenix area. Which id rather tolerate over any humidity! Gross sticky skin and a soaked back? Heell NOO! But yeah, it gets pretty cold in northern AZ. I went to a mall in Dallas once looking at winter gear when the sales clerk says "so you ready for the cold weather?" and so I explained that I lived in northern AZ (where it snows) and she was like "pfft it snows there?" and I was like "are you for real?!" And I walked away.
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