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He said that you can when it's not monsoon season, but not all day long because of the dust. So, it's not dusty all year round then? I couldn't exist without my windows open.
I've seen videos of the haboobs in the Phoenix area and they look really awful. My friend has a friend near Tucson and she said they had a dust storm the other day (December) and she has to spend the day cleaning. Even with windows shut, dust can seep in anyway, but not to a great extent as keeping them open.
As someone who was stuck on a rope five stories high during one once, they are really a minuscule type of storm. First of all, you can see them coming, and usually right after they happen rain comes. The longest I have ever seen a haboob last was 30 minutes. Lots of wind but not nearly as bad as a tornado or a hurricane...
If you actually prepare ahead of time (which you should be able to because again you can see them, they are taller than the skyscrapers in Downtown) you can close your windows and doors for thirty minutes and you should not get any dust in your house that would take an entire day to clean. Some cleaning, yes, but not the whole day. I think your friend needs to get their doors and windows checked out because that probably means they are losing A/C during the summertime. Outdoor cleaning, on the other hand...
If you are out and about it's not too hard to pull over right before it comes and wait a bit. You do lose almost all visibility when it comes and it's impossible to walk or drive in.
Also haboobs and dust storms are a little different. Haboobs are the giant dust walls.... Dust storms I associate with dust devils and these are even more minuscule in comparison. Haboobs only happen during monsoon season so your friend a couple days ago dealt with a dust devil most likely. Dust devils are really common near Marana and Oro Valley, for some reason that stretch of the I-10 before Picacho Peak is extremely windy and is prone to lots of dust devils.
Sarasota sounds okay. Is it more of a retirement place? I'm not ready for that (ever)...
Since you've been to St. Pete, use that as a yardstick. Sarasota's in that ballpark. A lot of Florida is retired-ish, so you're not really going to get away from that unless you choose another state.
My expectations for Sarasota were low: retirement communities, sterile, nothing going on, etc. It is not a hopping place, for sure. But the beaches are nice, there's a Whole Foods with a coffee shop and Millenials downtown, some interesting restaurants, things like that. Siesta Key is a nightlife-ish place. There is high end dining and shopping at St. Armand's circle. The town is not as homogeneous as you might think. There are rents to fit every budget, even low ones, and yes, those neighborhoods are about like you'd expect.
I don't know why you thought St. Pete was a big city. It's sleepy compared to Tampa. There are a lot of people there, for sure, but the pace of life is not rapid in a lot of spots, like Gulfport or even downtown St. Pete.
Quote:
Originally Posted by :-D
Also haboobs and dust storms are a little different. Haboobs are the giant dust walls.... Dust storms I associate with dust devils and these are even more minuscule in comparison. Haboobs only happen during monsoon season so your friend a couple days ago dealt with a dust devil most likely. Dust devils are really common near Marana and Oro Valley, for some reason that stretch of the I-10 before Picacho Peak is extremely windy and is prone to lots of dust devils.
My wife and I drove the back way behind Estrella Mountain across the reservation to Maricopa a few months ago, and the dust devils were everywhere. There's something going on with the wind there, but also there's just a lot of dust to be picked up. There didn't seem to be much biological crust to hold things in place. The desert looked to be overgrazed, but I don't know that for sure.
I got caught in a haboob outside (not on a rock face!) and it was not scary, like you say. Now that I've seen that stretch of desert south of Phoenix up close, I think that must be where the haboobs pick up a good percentage of their dust.
As someone who was stuck on a rope five stories high during one once, they are really a minuscule type of storm. First of all, you can see them coming, and usually right after they happen rain comes. The longest I have ever seen a haboob last was 30 minutes. Lots of wind but not nearly as bad as a tornado or a hurricane...
If you actually prepare ahead of time (which you should be able to because again you can see them, they are taller than the skyscrapers in Downtown) you can close your windows and doors for thirty minutes and you should not get any dust in your house that would take an entire day to clean. Some cleaning, yes, but not the whole day. I think your friend needs to get their doors and windows checked out because that probably means they are losing A/C during the summertime. Outdoor cleaning, on the other hand...
If you are out and about it's not too hard to pull over right before it comes and wait a bit. You do lose almost all visibility when it comes and it's impossible to walk or drive in.
Also haboobs and dust storms are a little different. Haboobs are the giant dust walls.... Dust storms I associate with dust devils and these are even more minuscule in comparison. Haboobs only happen during monsoon season so your friend a couple days ago dealt with a dust devil most likely. Dust devils are really common near Marana and Oro Valley, for some reason that stretch of the I-10 before Picacho Peak is extremely windy and is prone to lots of dust devils.
Oh, I'm not afraid of them, but they would be a nuisance. I also understand that the Phoenix area gets the worst of them, the haboobs, I guess.
I'm looking now at the Tucson area, specifically Green Valley and Sahuarita. I know Oro Valley is around there, too, but dust devils wouldn't be so much to deal with.
My wife and I drove the back way behind Estrella Mountain across the reservation to Maricopa a few months ago, and the dust devils were everywhere. There's something going on with the wind there, but also there's just a lot of dust to be picked up. There didn't seem to be much biological crust to hold things in place. The desert looked to be overgrazed, but I don't know that for sure.
I got caught in a haboob outside (not on a rock face!) and it was not scary, like you say. Now that I've seen that stretch of desert south of Phoenix up close, I think that must be where the haboobs pick up a good percentage of their dust.
I'm not afraid of haboobs... But they do get pretty big. They look more dangerous than they actually are, by far.
Haboobs and dust devils happen due to unsettled dust... this comes from extremely dry weather which keeps dust more or so free even though it sits on the ground. Right before a rainstorm occurs here in the desert almost all of our water is in the sky at that point and the dust gets picked up in the wind. That's why in the region where Marana and Oro Valley are, and Maricopa, get the most of them... They are in areas where the mountains have large spaces and are able to pick up the wind. And the Phoenix Valley is like this also in a couple places... I always imagine Southeast Valley got the worst of them.
Oh, I'm not afraid of them, but they would be a nuisance. I also understand that the Phoenix area gets the worst of them, the haboobs, I guess.
I'm looking now at the Tucson area, specifically Green Valley and Sahuarita. I know Oro Valley is around there, too, but dust devils wouldn't be so much to deal with.
Decisions, decisions!
Tucson gets a lot less dust storms as a whole from what I've seen. I suspect it's due to the structure of the valley Tucson is in, which more narrow. Tucson is arguably surrounded by four mountain ranges, the Tortolitas to the North, the Tucson Mountains to the West, and the Santa Catalinas/Rincon Mountains to the East. In sum, Tucson is really only "open" to the South, so this is how the haboobs roll in, sort of Southeast to Northwest. But because Tucson is smaller, has less construction (more free dust in construction zones, which Phoenix has much more of), and there is a lack of development in the southeast area as a whole because of Davis-Monthan and the airport and is still being protected from winds sort of by the Rincons, Tucson sees a lot less of it, I believe. The proximity of the Tortolitas to the Tucson and Santa Catalinas I predict prevent a haboob from coming in from the north. Sahuarita and Green Valley are further out, and to the south, so I'm not sure how they fall here. But again wherever you pick in Arizona dust devils and haboobs won't be an issue, because they aren't an issue. Just more of a nuisance as you said yourself.
The Phoenix metro, on the other hand, not only has more construction, but is in a larger and wider valley, and is surrounded by shorter mountains. Though Phoenix has arguably more mountain ranges, they do have big separations. Southeast Valley is completely open, and the separation from the mountains in Northeast Mesa to South mountain is huge, allows a huge space for wind to gather more dust and create momentum (all haboobs seem to go East to West from my memory) as the haboob expands north and east. Camelback and Mummy Mountains in the Scottsdale area aren't tall enough to really create a major change in wind patterns especially since they stand alone. I would say the Estrellas might be the tallest mountains in the Phoenix metro, but doesn't do much for stopping wind since they are sort of in the southwest corner and are in a rather undeveloped part of the metro.
To the OP, if you do look at Tucson, I suggest looking near the University. It's close to 4th Avenue (where all the bars are) and all the cultural amenities, and is also full of century-old bungalows if you like those the light rail was recently put in and I think it does a swell job especially if you plan on drinking on 4th Ave. All the singles will be near here as well, the further you venture out the more retirees you will find.
Tucson gets a lot less dust storms as a whole from what I've seen. I suspect it's due to the structure of the valley Tucson is in, which more narrow. Tucson is arguably surrounded by four mountain ranges, the Tortolitas to the North, the Tucson Mountains to the West, and the Santa Catalinas/Rincon Mountains to the East. In sum, Tucson is really only "open" to the South, so this is how the haboobs roll in, sort of Southeast to Northwest. But because Tucson is smaller, has less construction (more free dust in construction zones, which Phoenix has much more of), and there is a lack of development in the southeast area as a whole because of Davis-Monthan and the airport and is still being protected from winds sort of by the Rincons, Tucson sees a lot less of it, I believe. The proximity of the Tortolitas to the Tucson and Santa Catalinas I predict prevent a haboob from coming in from the north. Sahuarita and Green Valley are further out, and to the south, so I'm not sure how they fall here. But again wherever you pick in Arizona dust devils and haboobs won't be an issue, because they aren't an issue. Just more of a nuisance as you said yourself.
The Phoenix metro, on the other hand, not only has more construction, but is in a larger and wider valley, and is surrounded by shorter mountains. Though Phoenix has arguably more mountain ranges, they do have big separations. Southeast Valley is completely open, and the separation from the mountains in Northeast Mesa to South mountain is huge, allows a huge space for wind to gather more dust and create momentum (all haboobs seem to go East to West from my memory) as the haboob expands north and east. Camelback and Mummy Mountains in the Scottsdale area aren't tall enough to really create a major change in wind patterns especially since they stand alone. I would say the Estrellas might be the tallest mountains in the Phoenix metro, but doesn't do much for stopping wind since they are sort of in the southwest corner and are in a rather undeveloped part of the metro.
Thank you. A little dust I can handle, I'm sure. I looked on Sperling's regarding air quality in both Tucson and Phoenix and Tucson's is better albeit not great. And, I surely like the fact there are higher mountains in Tucson.
Stupid question I'm sure, but do you thing the scenery is prettier in Tucson or Phoenix? That includes the desert itself as well as the mountains, etc.
Thank you. A little dust I can handle, I'm sure. I looked on Sperling's regarding air quality in both Tucson and Phoenix and Tucson's is better albeit not great. And, I surely like the fact there are higher mountains in Tucson.
Stupid question I'm sure, but do you thing the scenery is prettier in Tucson or Phoenix? That includes the desert itself as well as the mountains, etc.
I much prefer Tucson's natural surrounding to Phoenix. Tucson's has mountain ranges on all sides, and the Saguaro National Park has a presence both on the East and West sides of town. Sabino Canyon, Mt. Lemmon, Starr Pass, Pusch Ridge, etc. Along the northern edge of the city is the Santa Catalina mountain range, which is spectacular, and way more dramatic than anything in Phoenix.
If you want something slicker and more urban, you'd prefer Phoenix. But for natural beauty, Tucson wins in a landslide.
Here is a shot in Oro Valley, AZ (just north of Tucson), looking south to the Santa Catalinas. Let's see if this attachment works.
I much prefer Tucson's natural surrounding to Phoenix. Tucson's has mountain ranges on all sides, and the Saguaro National Park has a presence both on the East and West sides of town. Sabino Canyon, Mt. Lemmon, Starr Pass, Pusch Ridge, etc. Along the northern edge of the city is the Santa Catalina mountain range, which is spectacular, and way more dramatic than anything in Phoenix.
If you want something slicker and more urban, you'd prefer Phoenix. But for natural beauty, Tucson wins in a landslide.
Here is a shot in Oro Valley, AZ (just north of Tucson), looking south to the Santa Catalinas. Let's see if this attachment works.
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and the dust gets picked up in the wind. That's why in the region where Marana and Oro Valley are, and Maricopa, get the most of them... They are in areas where the mountains have large spaces and are able to pick up the wind. And the Phoenix Valley is like this also in a couple places... I always imagine Southeast Valley got the worst of them.
