Phoenix Climate/Weather (Tempe, Flagstaff, Avondale: appointed, gated, to live in)

[JoeC]

We just left Chicago (18Jul), and arrived in Scottsdale last Saturday. There is no comparison. The humidity the valley is "suffering" with is nowhere near what Chicago got a couple of weeks ago. Even my wife (who is no big fan of the heat) admits that she's been far more comfortable here than in Chicago.

[Juram]

Originally Posted by jimj

Dellnec, the thing to take away from this is don't ever post news that shows anything but sunshine and roses here.
I had heard about this study a couple of months ago and was not surprised at all considering the wind picks up the topsoil as it blows on by and it crosses many a feed lot,farms,fields and junk yards with god knows what spilled on the ground etc etc.
Staying in your car isn't really a solution unless it has cabin air filtration and the filter has been replaced at some point. Staying in your house offers some protection, the level of that protection goes up and down with the construction of the house and again, if the filters have been changed. If your house was such a safe haven then the experts wouldn't be constantly saying "change your air filters after a dust storm to keep your A/C running efficiently, that's because outside air is drawn into the house (along with all the yukky stuff) and clogs 'em up.

As for Valley Fever, personally I don't poo-poo the warnings or put my fingers in my ears anymore and neither does my family or friends. They (and I) don't think it's fear mongering that's for certain!
That's because I ended up getting it after being here only 1 1/2 years, spent 3 days in the hospital with pneumonia which finally went away but after 3 months I'm still fighting the VF part that refuses (so far) to die off and have to take anti-fungal meds for many months which are very hard on the liver.
There are many more repercussions to having VF that I will most likely have for the rest of my life but I won't bore y'all by going into them.
Congrats to y'all who've not had to deal with VF so far but there's many,many of us who are and have and to us it's not a trivial thing like it's being portrayed (here).

Valley Fever can be dangerous, but reality indicates that the amount of people who are exposed to the spores that cause it vs those who come down with a major infection is statistically very low and usually is most serious in those with some sort of immune deficiency either due to age or other underlying condition. The vast majority of the people here in Arizona have probably been exposed to valley fever at one time or another and suffered either no illness or symptoms similar to a mild case of the flu.


If you're someone with lacking immune function, it would be wise to take the proper precautions, even have a breathing mask handy, but for everyone else, short of standing outside in the middle of a dust storm, its not something worth worrying about.

[Juram]

Originally Posted by HomeIsWhere...

I have played with the idea of retirement to Phoenix, however, a few years ago I was speaking with a gentleman living in Phoenix (previously from Chicago) and he lamented the extremely hot weather and the sand storms (as he referred to them). He said that the sand gets into the crevices and cracks of everything it comes in contact with and you don't ever want to be driving in it or on it as it is as "slippery" as driving on packed snow and ice (his words, not mine).

I have no experience with Phoenix but this is my two cents worth and I also believe that there is validity to reports concerning the consequences of nature mixing with humanity and where we choose to live our lives.

No offense to that gentleman but this is literally one of the dumbest things I have ever heard. I have lived and worked in Arizona for a long time, traveled all over the state and I find those comments to be patently ridiculous. The "sand-storms" here are greatly exaggerated, the only times I've found the sand to be a major road hazard is on the I-10, in or around Casa Grande, which isn't all that unusual. Otherwise, its not a problem and something people are getting way too hysterical over.


I've been in the Middle East, in Kuwait, in Dubai, in Iraq and got hit with sandstorms and anyone who hasn't experienced one of their sandstorms has absolutely no clue as to what one really feels like.

[madmmac]

At the first sign of dust storm.

Quickly fill your bathtub full of water.

Grab your weight belt and scuba tanks and head for the bottom.

You should be good to go.

Works in the car also, just don't add water and you have to wear a mask to keep the dust out of your eyes.

p.s---Nobody gets out of here alive.

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by JoeC

We just left Chicago (18Jul), and arrived in Scottsdale last Saturday. There is no comparison. The humidity the valley is "suffering" with is nowhere near what Chicago got a couple of weeks ago. Even my wife (who is no big fan of the heat) admits that she's been far more comfortable here than in Chicago.

Once again, comparing extreme record breaking 2012 MidWest summer temperatures to a normal Phoenix monsoon season is not a fair apples to apples comparison. Chicago is much more mild during summer, with temps in the 80's and the occasional 90F+ day. This summer is an extreme record breaking summer for Chicago.

The average HIGH temp in July for Phoenix is 105F, while in Chicago it is 84F. The average HIGH temp in August for Phoenix is 103F, while in Chicago it is 82F. All the while Phoenix and Chicago experience the SAME Dew Points during those months. Phoenix is getting 65F - 72F Dew Points during monsoon season, all while being 105F+ outside.

A typical Chicago summer is much more enjoyable than a typical Phoenix summer (which is monsoon season for Phoenix). Look, if Phoenix was so great in summer there would no such thing as "snow birds". People wouldn't flee back to Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois from June through September, yet they do flee back to those states to escape the brutal hot and humid Phoenix summers.

[Packard fan]

Originally Posted by tonyurban

Dude seriously, the heat is relentless and oppressive. I've never missed clouds and rain so much in my life. However, yes these types of threads are wooooorrrn out.

Uh; I'll take the Arizona heat over the bad winters in Chicago.

[maverick974]

Originally Posted by DellNec

Once again, comparing extreme record breaking 2012 MidWest summer temperatures to a normal Phoenix monsoon season is not a fair apples to apples comparison. Chicago is much more mild during summer, with temps in the 80's and the occasional 90F+ day. This summer is an extreme record breaking summer for Chicago.

The average HIGH temp in July for Phoenix is 105F, while in Chicago it is 84F. The average HIGH temp in August for Phoenix is 103F, while in Chicago it is 82F. All the while Phoenix and Chicago experience the SAME Dew Points during those months. Phoenix is getting 65F - 72F Dew Points during monsoon season, all while being 105F+ outside.

A typical Chicago summer is much more enjoyable than a typical Phoenix summer (which is monsoon season for Phoenix). Look, if Phoenix was so great in summer there would no such thing as "snow birds". People wouldn't flee back to Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois from June through September, yet they do flee back to those states to escape the brutal hot and humid Phoenix summers.

I don't think most folks are saying the summers here are perfect. What we are saying is that they aren't "brutal" and "oppressive". They are NOT.
As I write this, it's just a touch over 100 at my house with humidity at 29%. At least that's what my gauge says and it's absolutely gorgeous outside. I've been outside most of the day and I'm not sweating, no sunburn and it's been very comfortable.
Days in the higher 110's aren't exactly enjoyable but they are certainly a lot more tolerable than constant high humidity that other areas have. The humidity goes up and down a LOT here but most of the time it's well below 40% during the monsoon season.
I look at the summers here as a person would the winters in most other areas of the country. This is the "off season". The off season in other areas means snow, frigid temps not very conducive to outdoor activities for most people. Here the off season means we get out early or late. Or in my case, I'm in the pool or on the lake. There is a HUGE difference in lifestyles here during the off season.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by madmmac

At the first sign of dust storm.

Quickly fill your bathtub full of water.

Grab your weight belt and scuba tanks and head for the bottom.

You should be good to go.

Works in the car also, just don't add water and you have to wear a mask to keep the dust out of your eyes.

p.s---Nobody gets out of here alive.

True enough (bold) but I'd sure like to exit somewhat at the time and way of my choosing. Preferably @ somewhere around 90 years old being chased by a jealous husband.

[jimj]

Originally Posted by Juram

Valley Fever can be dangerous, but reality indicates that the amount of people who are exposed to the spores that cause it vs those who come down with a major infection is statistically very low and usually is most serious in those with some sort of immune deficiency either due to age or other underlying condition. The vast majority of the people here in Arizona have probably been exposed to valley fever at one time or another and suffered either no illness or symptoms similar to a mild case of the flu.


If you're someone with lacking immune function, it would be wise to take the proper precautions, even have a breathing mask handy, but for everyone else, short of standing outside in the middle of a dust storm, its not something worth worrying about.

I'm interested in how low "very low" is. I'd bet it's high enough to be of real concern as my pharmacist told me he's been filling anti-fungal meds like he's giving 'em out of a Pez dispenser. I'm not saying it's 50% or anything like that but it surely isn't 1 or 2% from what I've been given to understand.
As for a compromised immune system or function, not to my knowledge, just bad luck I guess.

[miamiman]

Originally Posted by maverick974

I don't think most folks are saying the summers here are perfect. What we are saying is that they aren't "brutal" and "oppressive". They are NOT.
As I write this, it's just a touch over 100 at my house with humidity at 29%. At least that's what my gauge says and it's absolutely gorgeous outside. I've been outside most of the day and I'm not sweating, no sunburn and it's been very comfortable.
Days in the higher 110's aren't exactly enjoyable but they are certainly a lot more tolerable than constant high humidity that other areas have. The humidity goes up and down a LOT here but most of the time it's well below 40% during the monsoon season.
I look at the summers here as a person would the winters in most other areas of the country. This is the "off season". The off season in other areas means snow, frigid temps not very conducive to outdoor activities for most people. Here the off season means we get out early or late. Or in my case, I'm in the pool or on the lake. There is a HUGE difference in lifestyles here during the off season.

They are brutal. An average of 110 days per year over 100 degrees is not comparable to a Midwestern or Eastern summer. It just isn't. I also think the average midwestern spends more time outside in the summer than the average Phoenician. A city like Chicago or New York is much more pedestrian-oriented, so people walk around a lot more than people do here. If you spent hours and hours outside here during the middle of the day here every single day, I bet your view of the heat here would be MUCH different. Sitting inside your house, maybe going out to jump in the pool, or going to run to the grocery store in 110 degree weather does not really give you a real idea of just how hot 110 really is.

I checked the weather several times today and it was 98 degrees at one point with a 68 degree dewpoint. That is not a dry heat and that is not better than your average summer day in Boston or Cleveland.

I love Phoenix, but let's get real about the heat.