If Phoenix is that hot, why do so many move there? (Maricopa: short sale, utilities)

[Captain Bill]

The few months of hot weather is the small price we pay for 8 months of great weather.

Even when it's 106 like I think it was today, in the late afternoon we go out on our back patio (facing west) to enjoy a glass of wine and let our Yorkie (who things she's a Lab) swim.

It's slightly off topic, but this little girl loves to swim, and jump in as far as she can. She'll stay until she's exhausted if we let her; but we don't. We only let her in the spa for now because in the pool she can't yet find the area to get out.

And the hot days aren't all that bad anyway. We get used to it. Those who work outside all day, like landscapers, etc. become accustomed to the heat and know how to deal with it.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

However, it's a totally different situation when your car has been parked outside overnight or outside for a prolonged period of time as mine was when it was 7 degrees outside and my car didn't heat up until 20 minutes later. The steering wheel was cold. The windows were iced over. I had to sit in my car for 10 minutes just for the windows to clear from the frost. .

For $299 installed, that problem would have been solved. See Viper - 5301 Responder LE 2-Way Remote Start System (Basic Install Included) - 5301V

You wake up, shower, hit the start button and have breakfast. 10 minutes later your car is warm. A lot of new cars have them right from the factory. I have heated seats as well when I am stuck in MN.

[Howard Roark]

It's been years since I lived over a winter in Northern New Jersey in Morris County, but I had my Chevy pickup back there. And what I would do would trudge out in the snow and start it up when the wind was blowin' and it was below zero wind chill. I turned on the defroster and let it do its work on the windows. Head back up, shed all my heavy jacket, ski hat, and drink my coffee, do some internetting, and then go back down to the truck. Only once I had to get a new battery, but was never stranded. Those days I heard about the thingamajig that did the automatic start for you. But I was too lazy to inquire about them. Too much stuff on my mind (like getting work back out west out of the cold!). On the Monday of my last week I spent the afternoon shoveling 18 inches of snow off of my truck and around the truck. Then I graciously shoveled a path to my six unit apartment building door and that included the 3 foot drift to the door. On Tuesday morning I gave a four day notice that I was leaving the job, then by the end of the week drove back to the west!

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

For $299 installed, that problem would have been solved. See Viper - 5301 Responder LE 2-Way Remote Start System (Basic Install Included) - 5301V

You wake up, shower, hit the start button and have breakfast. 10 minutes later your car is warm. A lot of new cars have them right from the factory. I have heated seats as well when I am stuck in MN.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

The few months of hot weather is the small price we pay for 8 months of great weather.

In fairness Bill, the weather isn't "great" for 8 months. The cold blooded Scandinavians that seem to settle in the northern states (many times) cannot stomach 100 degrees temps no matter what the humidity.

So that takes out June through October. My wife for instance erased living in the Valley from June-October. I personally think 110 and low humidity feels FANTASTIC. My body despises high humidity while other people love it. This topic of who likes what weather is very subjective.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

In fairness Bill, the weather isn't "great" for 8 months. The cold blooded Scandinavians that seem to settle in the northern states (many times) cannot stomach 100 degrees temps no matter what the humidity.

So that takes out June through October. My wife for instance erased living in the Valley from June-October. I personally think 110 and low humidity feels FANTASTIC. My body despises high humidity while other people love it. This topic of who likes what weather is very subjective.

I'll give you June but there are NO days in October where the average high is over 100. In fact, the average high drops below 100 on September 15. Things usually cool off below 90 in mid-October. Furthermore, once monsoon ends the nights get down into the 60s and most of the day is quite pleasant. I have U.P. visitors come in mid-October and they all find the weather delightful. It often snows in October in the UP. If October is not great it is pretty darn good.

[Bondurant]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

In fairness Bill, the weather isn't "great" for 8 months. The cold blooded Scandinavians that seem to settle in the northern states (many times) cannot stomach 100 degrees temps no matter what the humidity.

So that takes out June through October. My wife for instance erased living in the Valley from June-October. I personally think 110 and low humidity feels FANTASTIC. My body despises high humidity while other people love it. This topic of who likes what weather is very subjective.

I'll take the many days off 100+ in Phoenix over the handful of 100+ days in Michigan and Illinois. The humidity makes a huge difference for myself.

I think the 8 months of great weather is a just statement.

[pandaundercover]

Well, I'm sure the heat is more bearable for the elderly than the cold is for a variety of reasons: arthritis comes to mind. There's less to be allergic to out here too. And personally, I'd prefer the heat over the cold most of the time. I'm very unfunctionable in cold weather as i have a low body temperature in general. 100 degrees really doesn't feel that horrible to me... though I wouldn't just stand outside in it and wait for a sunburn. It doesn't stop me from doing my nightly jogs when it's 95* out either. When it reaches the 120's, it is pretty unbearable and kinda makes you just wait for fall weather to arrive in November. It's really nice from November to May out here when the temps are between 55-75 in the days. It's enough to make me wait out the scorching summers.

It does depend what area of Phoenix you live in. Mesa, Tempe, ...those city areas experience a lot of monsoons. I have found the NW area, like Surprise and El Mirage, don't experience them too much.. as well as less rain in general than other areas of Phoenix.

[Captain Bill]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

In fairness Bill, the weather isn't "great" for 8 months. The cold blooded Scandinavians that seem to settle in the northern states (many times) cannot stomach 100 degrees temps no matter what the humidity.

So that takes out June through October...

But June through September are the 4 hot months. I'll even give you May and say there are 7 months of great weather. How's that for compromise

But I like them all. While it is a little warm in the summer, those months are still great for me. I just can't understand why anyone would want to live here for 8 months (as my neighbors do) and move away during the great summer these beautiful summer months. We don't even have to wait in line for a restaurant table during the summer

[mjd2k]

You can actually sit outside on a summer night in Phoenix because NO MOSQUITOES!!!! Thats huge.

I've spent weeks in AZ during June, July August and Sept. Last Sept we were there for recordbreaking temp. Did not seem like a big deal. Wekept busy all day,went back to hotel for happy hour by the pool, then went to a mall or something.

I would take 60* over 80* all year long. I suffer more in heat than cold and I'm a fit guy. But the choice between -30 or 70 is easy so we head south.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

I'll give you June but there are NO days in October where the average high is over 100. In fact, the average high drops below 100 on September 15. Things usually cool off below 90 in mid-October. Furthermore, once monsoon ends the nights get down into the 60s and most of the day is quite pleasant. I have U.P. visitors come in mid-October and they all find the weather delightful. It often snows in October in the UP. If October is not great it is pretty darn good.

Since I have not experienced October in the Valley (other than a visit it two) I'm going to yield to your expertise. But I THOUGHT people were complaining about the long Monsoon season (a.k.a. the humidity) either last year of the year before. Yes or no?? So 98 and "humid" is still not comfortable. Again, I don't know so please chime in.

As a side note, we were down in mid May with some friends (I forget the exact days). One of our friends was having a tough time during the hottest part of the day when the thermostat hit 97. Now to me, that felt GREAT but it just goes to show you how subjective the heat (or cold) is. I kept on suggesting that it is "low humidity" but her hubby kept on defaulting to the actual temperature.

While I have personally experienced -48 real temperature (OUCH!!!!!!!!!!!) and used to make fun of people from the Valley complaining about a cool evening in January, I too was complaining this winter when it was windy. So low humidity in Phoenix also makes the "cold" feel colder.