How do you deal with this extreme desert heat?! (Phoenix: credit, house)

[PoppySead]

This is a neat way to compare this year to last years temps.
Phoenix Month Weather - AccuWeather Forecast for AZ 85003

[DetroitN8V]

It's better than the weather in Jesusland.

[TransatPhD]

Originally Posted by Maroon197

Anyone who says the weather is nice for 8-9 months is lying.

Yep, seems like 5 months of good weather, tops!

[magnum0417]

Originally Posted by PoppySead

This is a neat way to compare this year to last years temps.
Phoenix Month Weather - AccuWeather Forecast for AZ 85003

Great link. It certainly was hotter last spring. Especially in May. With that said, I recall hearing that whole "3 days of 55" around mid June last year which in turn gave us monsoons a couple weeks later at the start of July. The problem besides the western high that's been parked over us all spring is the drought in Northern Mexico as well as New Mexico. Part of the monsoons are based on vegetation evaporating moisture when they have the proper water supply. Since these areas are parched, there is less moisture evaporating. I'm resigned to predicting mid July at the earliest for any measurable rainfall at Sky Harbor this year.

Back to the content. Unlike Florida and the other Gulf States, it's a 2 hour drive to feel like you are in Canada for summer temps so I am very grateful to have access to the high country dumping $20 in the gas tank. Plenty of lakes near Prescott and the Rim Country to cool off. I see cabin rentals near Show Low going for under $100/night which isn't too bad. Another cool private get away is the Apache Lake Motel which requires dirt road driving from Roosevelt or Canyon lake. Place has a restaurant/bar plus a general store. Apache to me is the neatest of the SRP Lakes. The most secluded and a great way to beat the Valley heat.

[magnum0417]

Originally Posted by PoppySead

Ya, I think it's been cooler so far but it's suppose to hit 115 to 120 next week. That's pretty hot but like they say, over 110 who notices the difference. lol

The long dry period this time of year does get to people. I was hoping the hot spell next week might bring on the wind shift but maybe that's wishful thinking. I do think this summer's monsoon will be a bit more exciting than last years. Again, wishful thinking.

I have to admit I love the summer in the desert. The smells, the heat, the monsoon sky. One of my favorites. I do admit it would be nice for some rainfall though.

I guess that means Lake Havasu will be 125 .LOL. You know, I've always wondered how that town is always hotter than Yuma which is further south and lower in elevation. Maybe they have the thermometer set the wrong way in the direct sun. Who knows. Just find it a weird anomaly that it is usually hotter there than anywhere else in the state downstream.

[elcajones]

Well I am new here and actually moved out in may. Since I have been here daytime temps have been 90+ everyday!! Worse so, the nights stay just as hot. But hey job opportunity plus housing at 1/3 of my native San Diego, I am learning to cope(I'm very sensitive to hot weather over 70 is warm, 75 is hot, 80 is scorching). I do the following.

1. I keep my ac at a comfy 65 when I'm home.
2. As soon as I walk in from work I take a cold shower.
3. I precool (is that a word?) my vehicle before I get in otherwise I am a red sweaty mess fast.
4. If I'm running errands, I'll leave the truck idling with cold ac the whole time.

Frankly I doubt I will acclimate. Trips back home any weekend I can (2-3 times a month) seems to be the best for me. Even back home I lived inland about 20 miles. San diegans consider el cajon hot. With an average temp in the mid 80's in our summer (which starts in July not may) I never adjusted although I was never so confined to ac.

[R_Cowgirl]

Originally Posted by Mumsen

I was in Phoenix recently on a business trip..... OMG! Extremely boiling HOT HOT
Yes, I know it's very dry air, but it's still extremely hot!

The summers are very long too, and it's not like you have to deal with it on a heatwave for few days. It last for several months.

Tell me how you deal with this sunny and extremely hot temperatures?

Lots of adult libations....
nah nah nah, I don't do that often, but a good cold tropical ice tea helps.

I get up early and work out, work in the yard, walk the dogs, etc. Then have breakfast on the patio before it hits 90 (which is tolerable in dry heat...) Then I go into the office and work in AC until around 3pm. Then I take a nap... I understand the siesta tradition more and more the longer I live here. I usually sleep in front of the fan for about an hour. Then I wake up and get back to work till around 6, have dinner, and then go out and meet friends when it cools off a little. I do as much shopping and errand running as I can after 7pm. I don't make a lot of lunch appointments in the summer. That would mean driving in the heat, parking my car in an uncovered area, getting back into a car that feels like the broiler was left on inside it, and dealing with all that entails. I meet people for dinner or cocktails later in the day. You just learn to adapt, the same as you do when you are shoveling snow instead of heat!

I grew up in the midwest and then lived in Hawaii for 30 years. I age about 10 years every time I get off the plane from Hawaii. And I go there as often as I can between April and October -- usually 4-6 times. That helps. I also drive up to Cave Creek, Sedona, Flagstaff - anywhere that has lower temps. An occasional drive to San Diego is also a nice break. Oh - and I carry a spray bottle in the car with water and a few drops of aromatherapy oil. I spray my face whenever I need to cool off, or when the minus 2 humidity starts to wear thin.

I'm with everyone on the rain. I'm a little worried we haven't had any. I had a leak the last time it rained. I went up and fixed it... but I don't know for SURE if i fixed it until it rains again. The problem is, when it's this dry and hot, the wood and all the "fixin'" stuff shrinks until it rains again. So leaks spontaneously show up until the wood swells. Sigh. Every place has somethin'

However..... There's nothin' like the smell of the desert right after a rain. The whole place comes alive, it's quite amazing. The air softens for a little while and you can look at the sky without it hurting your eyes...

One thing newbies have to learn (which is shown in the video below) is that those little "dips in the road" are actually washes and you will WASH away if you cross them when there's water.... othern' that, when it rains, the critters come out, the cacti bloom, and the desert smells amazing!

Here - this is for all my CD buddies in AZ -
this will cool you down just watching it. Just found it on MeTube There are a couple cool flower videos that show up in the box at the end, too.
Maybe if we all play it and then dance around our computers we can do a collective rain dance and bring on the moisture!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMPOWm90ELo

Originally Posted by PoppySead

This is a neat way to compare this year to last years temps.
Phoenix Month Weather - AccuWeather Forecast for AZ 85003

Thanks for the link! Tried to rep you but gotta spread it around

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by magnum0417

Great link. It certainly was hotter last spring. Especially in May. With that said, I recall hearing that whole "3 days of 55" around mid June last year which in turn gave us monsoons a couple weeks later at the start of July. The problem besides the western high that's been parked over us all spring is the drought in Northern Mexico as well as New Mexico. Part of the monsoons are based on vegetation evaporating moisture when they have the proper water supply. Since these areas are parched, there is less moisture evaporating. I'm resigned to predicting mid July at the earliest for any measurable rainfall at Sky Harbor this year.

Back to the content. Unlike Florida and the other Gulf States, it's a 2 hour drive to feel like you are in Canada for summer temps so I am very grateful to have access to the high country dumping $20 in the gas tank. Plenty of lakes near Prescott and the Rim Country to cool off. I see cabin rentals near Show Low going for under $100/night which isn't too bad. Another cool private get away is the Apache Lake Motel which requires dirt road driving from Roosevelt or Canyon lake. Place has a restaurant/bar plus a general store. Apache to me is the neatest of the SRP Lakes. The most secluded and a great way to beat the Valley heat.

It will be making a run at 115 by later in the week. That means Flagstaff above 90. Apache Lk may be lovely to look at, but it is no place to go to get away from the heat. You might save 5-10 degrees on Phoenix meaning a chilly 105-110 there. Really, when the real heat gets here in late June there is no where to go but San Diego (or maybe Greer, AZ). And there, while cool, the June gloom sets in. Fog and cloudy 24/7.

[magnum0417]

Originally Posted by elcajones

Well I am new here and actually moved out in may. Since I have been here daytime temps have been 90+ everyday!! Worse so, the nights stay just as hot. But hey job opportunity plus housing at 1/3 of my native San Diego, I am learning to cope(I'm very sensitive to hot weather over 70 is warm, 75 is hot, 80 is scorching). I do the following.

1. I keep my ac at a comfy 65 when I'm home.
2. As soon as I walk in from work I take a cold shower.
3. I precool (is that a word?) my vehicle before I get in otherwise I am a red sweaty mess fast.
4. If I'm running errands, I'll leave the truck idling with cold ac the whole time.

Frankly I doubt I will acclimate. Trips back home any weekend I can (2-3 times a month) seems to be the best for me. Even back home I lived inland about 20 miles. San diegans consider el cajon hot. With an average temp in the mid 80's in our summer (which starts in July not may) I never adjusted although I was never so confined to ac.

65 degree thermostat ? Yikes. I thought you came here for lower COL ? I personally feel El Cajon and Santee has about the best climate in So Cal, not just San Diego area. You are east of the marine layer which normally doesn't get further east than La Mesa. Unlike the beach areas, you get temps sometimes in the 90's and 100's depending on the wind direction. I spent Labor Day weekend in El Cajon last year and it was 95 there and 75 on the beach. The microclimates there make it so that real meteorologists have to earn their paychecks on tv. There are no meteorologists on tv here. The reason is simple. Meteorologists like active and diverse weather to forecast. Come to think of it, being a "weathercaster" on tv here is the easiest gig out there. Like George Carlin with "Light/Dark" forecast, it's about the same here.

[elcajones]

Originally Posted by magnum0417

65 degree thermostat ? Yikes. I thought you came here for lower COL ? I personally feel El Cajon and Santee has about the best climate in So Cal, not just San Diego area. You are east of the marine layer which normally doesn't get further east than La Mesa. Unlike the beach areas, you get temps sometimes in the 90's and 100's depending on the wind direction. I spent Labor Day weekend in El Cajon last year and it was 95 there and 75 on the beach. The microclimates there make it so that real meteorologists have to earn their paychecks on tv. There are no meteorologists on tv here. The reason is simple. Meteorologists like active and diverse weather to forecast. Come to think of it, being a "weathercaster" on tv here is the easiest gig out there. Like George Carlin with "Light/Dark" forecast, it's about the same here.

Sdg&e charges about 50% more than srp does. Yes I'm going to miss el cajon. The days of 100 degree heat waves aren't bad at all when 15 minutes drive away is 75. I'd pack up to the beach and at sunset when el cajon dips back into the 70's be back to barbecue . The hot nights are seriously the hardest part of adjusting for me. It's just nothing I have ever experienced before.