Moving to Prescott July 2011 (Phoenix, Pinon: real estate, crime, house)

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by keninaz

It may be higher humidity than DellNec is used to compared to where they came from. You never know.
I just cannot imagine anyone saying that this area has sustained high humidity during any WX events or periods compared to other areas of the country.

Agreed. The o/p is comparing her experiences with humidity in her home state of New Hampshire, so my comments were in keeping with her stated needs, rather than another member's perceptions.

[Esenjay]

It might compared to places like Death Valley in eastern California -- but using an extreme to make a point is not generally the best logical argument, right? It can get a bit humid at times in the summer but as noted by others, it's not comparable to other parts of the US. And the so-called "monsoon" season in AZ is a bit laughable compared to real monsoon weather. It's a little humidity, a little rain, some thunder/lightning activity. Not weeks or months of deluge. My uncle--a Vietnam vet who experienced real monsoons in Asia--laughs when anyone refers to the Arizona "monsoon season".

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by Esenjay

My uncle--a Vietnam vet who experienced real monsoons in Asia--laughs when anyone refers to the Arizona "monsoon season".

When I first moved to AZ, I was baffled by the use of the term "monsoon" to describe the season!

[keninaz]

Yes, but as we only get real winds and rain a couple months of the year I guess they had to give it a name. I suppose that some people in the drier areas of our desert just consider the rain a nuisance.
I have noted though, having lived in the lower deserts, that the mountains don't tend to get near as much wind, at least so far here, compared to what I have had living in 4 lower locations in AZ. I saw far more damaging winds and driving rain in Cochise County and the Tucson areas than I have seen here in the last 3 years.
Many in the SE section of AZ just considered routine roof repairs a fact of life once or twice a year.
My WX station recorded 60+ MPH winds many times a year down there.

[Esenjay]

We get some pretty good gusts here in CV--this weekend was really windy, couldn't get any work done in the yard. Well, I could have, but didn't feel like breathing dirt all day since I'm engaged in digging up flagstones to reset them in a 60' walkway from the gate to the patio. Maybe next weekend will be better.

[keninaz]

Yes I forget living in a protected area of Prescott that we are not all lucky enough up here to have the protection of hills and trees in the right locations.
At my location for example I have only seen 30 MPH as the top wind speed on my WX station so far this year. It records and stores the information. But I am sure on the other hand than anyone living on the wrong side of one of our hills in town gets much more than that.

[wretched wrench]

Ken, any advice on weather stations?

You're making me want one.

[keninaz]

I have the Davis Weather Pro 2 in the wireless version. I had the wired Pro at my home in SE AZ for many years and never had a problem. The guy that bought my property wanted it when he saw it so I sold it too him and went wireless here.
It records temps in and out, humidity in and out, barometric pressure, dew point and wind chill, wind speed rain totals for storm, month day and years and keeps it all in memory so you can recall it too.
I have had this one 3 years now and the only thing I have had to do in the way of maintenance is change the transmitter battery after 3 years and clean the rain collector about 2 times a year but that's all easy to do. They are not cheap but they are in many cases the same systems that cities use to record and report the information to the weather services I am told. And shop the prices on the internet too, they can be had at a good discount if you shop them.
Here is a link to their site~ Quality wireless weather stations and software for home, education, and hobbyists by Davis

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by keninaz

I have noted though, having lived in the lower deserts, that the mountains don't tend to get near as much wind, at least so far here, compared to what I have had living in 4 lower locations in AZ.

Remember, the Flagstaff area got rocked with SIX tornado's, of which four were EF2, one was an EF3, and one was EF1. This was just a couple of months ago back in October 2010. Mountains DO NOT protect one from a tornado or high winds.

Prescott has been hit with some serious winds in the past. According to NOAA, the area has seen 80MPH+ straight line winds. In 1996 Chino Valley was hit with an F1 tornado during a September monsoon storm.

[Esenjay]

That's all well and good but you keep bringing out the extremes to make your point when the average or general weather is what is being addressed. There can be extremes anywhere, they are not the rule but rather the exception. How about all the nice weather we get most of the year? Seriously.