Summer heat deadline (Phoenix, Tempe, Maricopa: live, areas, county)

[Foreverking]

Originally Posted by DetroitN8V

This is my first full summer here too and I have the complete opposite viewpoint as this poster. I keep thinking, "is this it?". To me, the heat isn't so bad at all. I've spend quite a bit of time in my pool which has been great. I'd highly recommend having access to a pool if at all possible. Aside from no more afternoon bike rides, my life has not changed at all during the heat. The point is, you have to experience it for yourself and it sounds like you will, so good move.

I wonder if people moving to, say Chicago go and spend a couple weeks there in the winter to see if they can hack it. I've never heard of people doing that anywhere but here.

That's what I thought my 1st summer after coming here from a move from Colorado. But...if you feel you still love it in 5 or 6 years you are set. About year #3 I started having a real problem with the heat without relief.

[grmi66]

If you can make it through July and August the rest of the year is not too bad. Sure it still gets up to 100 in September, but there is a big difference between hitting 100+ for an hour or so in the afternoon vs being at 100+ all day and half the evening in the summer. Still better than shoveling snow and dealing with extreme cold like I did growing up in Michigan.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by grmi66

If you can make it through July and August the rest of the year is not too bad. Sure it still gets up to 100 in September, but there is a big difference between hitting 100+ for an hour or so in the afternoon vs being at 100+ all day and half the evening in the summer. Still better than shoveling snow and dealing with extreme cold like I did growing up in Michigan.

Yes, my mood brightens considerably when the monsoon ends. It is one of my favorite times of the year because rather suddenly all that moisture goes away and it just feels so much better. I also love the longer shadows and the light in September. In summer, the light is harsh and irritating. Come mid-Sep it's back on the patio for morning coffee and the pool and the lake is still warm enough to enjoy until the end of the month. The leaves are changing in the north country and the skies up there are the bluest you will ever see. I don't think anyone but the "haters" complain about October weather. There are days when it still is in the 90s and that can make one mad because you are sick of heat by then. But overall most of the day is really nice, but it is getting too cold to swim in the pool or for watersports at the lake. Winter lawn time is here and the bright green of new lawns and on the golf courses and parks is eye candy for the heat-weary.

[Zippyman]

Originally Posted by pgc323

According to AccuWeather, the historical avg. high temp. for Phoenix during October starts at 94 in the beginning down to 80 by the end of the month, and during November is 83 down to 66 by the end of the month.

My parents came down from Michigan a couple years ago in October, and thought it was sweltering.. after you've lived here a while, you develop an instinct to hide in the shade, and so 90 is no big deal - if you're from a cold state, (especially one that is often cloudy), you don't necessarily do that.. 90 degrees in full sun is awful with or without humidity.. 90 degrees under a covered patio with no humidity is nice weather.. plus, you tend to adjust your schedule to take advantage of the cool evenings and mornings. If you know to run your errands before 10am or after 6pm, life is different.

[MotleyCrew]

Where we resided before moving to AZ was in northern CA in the Sierras. It started raining Oct 31st like clockwork and usually ruined the evening, not stopping until July. I loved our first October here and enjoyed the Halloween in Vistancia more than any Halloween ever. The weather was balmy, the kids were fun and the adults in costumes and the orange and purple lights on golf carts made it even more entertaining. Love it here.

[Finger Laker]

The past couple of Octobers have been obnoxious, IMO .... mainly because my daughters BDay is at the end of the month and Halloween .... it seems like when we've tried to plan outdoor activities it's spiked into the low 90s towards the end of the month and by the end of October I'm more than ready for consistent 80s during the day

However, it's really not all that bad and on the whole you'll have more good days than bad by that point.

I agree that catching the first couple weeks of September should give a pretty good idea of it while you can still catch a feel throughout sept to early oct although maybe not as much

[jj_mckormick]

Originally Posted by what???

Late August/Early September seems to be when the worst of the worst heat is coming to a close. Keep in mind that it's not the severity of the heat on any given summer day that gets to people. It's the longevity of day after day after day of heat. 1-2 weeks is nothing because you know you'll be returning to a cooler climate. Try being there from mid May to early October.

y i hear ya on that and thought the same but there are people who can't really hack that kind of heat comfortably for even a few days and i think it's a good idea to make sure i'm not one of them

[jj_mckormick]

Originally Posted by locolobo13

Agree with Ponderosa. Before Labor Day. Sure we have 105+ days in Sept. Even the rarer hot days. But my memories of Sept is hot but dry and cooling off from Aug.

I might be checking out vegas(henderson) too which has similar summer temperatures. Anyone know if it's best to go before labor day in order to experience the peak summer heat there or is it best the ask in the vegas forum?

[magnum0417]

Originally Posted by jj_mckormick

I might be checking out vegas(henderson) too which has similar summer temperatures. Anyone know if it's best to go before labor day in order to experience the peak summer heat there or is it best the ask in the vegas forum?

Vegas gets 4 inches of rain/year and is drier in the summer than PARTS of Maricopa County. I emphasize PARTS because I live in the dome called Tempe that refuses to allow rain to hit the ground during the Monsoon Season. Just like the airport, 93 days without measurable precip as Dave Monsey confirmed on Fox 10 this evening.

[new2colo]

Originally Posted by magnum0417

Vegas gets 4 inches of rain/year and is drier in the summer than PARTS of Maricopa County. I emphasize PARTS because I live in the dome called Tempe that refuses to allow rain to hit the ground during the Monsoon Season. Just like the airport, 93 days without measurable precip as Dave Monsey confirmed on Fox 10 this evening.

Vegas average less rain than most all of Maricopa County, Tempe included. I am from Vegas which rarely gets monsoonal rain of any strength or intensity other than a light drizzle or an occasional downpour.

With that said.... Phoenix has gone as many as 143 days without rain, so in the grand scheme of things, 93 days is really not that impressive. It will rain there eventually. Of course people will then start to complain about the humidity, cloudy, and wet weather and try to rush in the end of the monsoon.