What City has the BLUEST SKIES? (temperatures, nights, sunshine, clouds)

[M TYPE X]

Mid-state Illinois has a lot more sunny days than mid-Michigan. I'm looking at puffy clouds rolling in a big blue sky as I type this.

Why does Grand Rapids seem so much sunnier than Ann Arbor or Lansing? Do I only travel through Grand Rapids/Holland/Muskegon when the driving weather is nice? GR is closer to Lake Michigan, so this seems suspect.

[EnjoyEP]

The bluest, sunniest skies - factually (not just anecdotally) tend to be in the U.S. desert southwest. Yuma, AZ is a prime example.

In terms of large, major U.S. cities that are the bluest, sunniest skies, here is where you'll find them:

-Tucson
-Phoenix
-Las Vegas, NV
-El Paso
-Albuquerque
-(Parts of SE California like Palm Springs, etc.)
-Sacramento / Fresno

I find that Denver's sunny skies are a tad bit overrated. It is sunnier there for sure than much of the Midwest / East, etc., but not comparable to the desert regions mentioned here. People often like to cite Denver's sun, yet, with an average of 15-to-20 inches of rain annually and an average of 60+ inches of snow annually, there are surely enough periods of storm clouds.

San Fran is more sunny than Denver; beautiful area, but not the sunny skies you'd find in the SW. On the list below though, San Fran clocks in at 160 sunny days, still pretty highly.

See this listing:

Weather Today - Weather Forecasts, Radar, Maps for 1000s of US and World Cities

They rate Albuquerque with 167 sunny days, both El Paso and Tucson with 193 sunny days, SoCal cities like Bakersfield and Stockton with 191 and 184 days respectively, Vegas with 210 and Phoenix with 211.

Meanwhile, Boise has 120, Denver has only 115 (less than Lincoln NE, Kansas City and Memphis), Springfield IL has 104, St. Louis 101, Chicago 84, Milwaukee 90, Cleveland 66, Hilo HI 36, Miami 74 (less than Chicago, Milwaukee, Duluth MN, or Minneapolis). NOTE: With Tampa at 101, Jacksonville at 94, Orlando at 89, and Miami at 74 - four of the major cities in FL - Florida is a relatively sunny state, however, I would say the stats clearly show that the SW is sunnier overall.

If you are looking for big, open, blue bright skies, hard to find a better place than the deserts of the big cities of West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, or non-smoggy parts of south or central California.

[Steve-o]

I didnt find any big cities in the SW to have super-blue skies to be honest. I spend lots of time in PHX every year (up to a month at times, but usually 2-3 weeks), and sometimes its ok, other times its white looking, especially midday. Santa Fe had some wonderful skies as did Albuquerque, but it wasnt constant. If you want truly awesome blue skies, the SW has the best, but you need to be out in the country to really see them. I recommend Bryce Canyon, or Zion NP areas, its royal blue from sunup to sundown. Truly awesome, especially against the red rocks.

[EnjoyEP]

Originally Posted by Steve-o

I didnt find any big cities in the SW to have super-blue skies to be honest. I spend lots of time in PHX every year (up to a month at times, but usually 2-3 weeks), and sometimes its ok, other times its white looking, especially midday. Santa Fe had some wonderful skies as did Albuquerque, but it wasnt constant. If you want truly awesome blue skies, the SW has the best, but you need to be out in the country to really see them. I recommend Bryce Canyon, or Zion NP areas, its royal blue from sunup to sundown. Truly awesome, especially against the red rocks.

Well, all I can say is that living in Albuquerque, it is rare to see a day without at least some good sunshine. 50 days of thick clouds at most per year. El Paso is even moreso...you'll hardly ever encounter a day there where the sun isn't shining. Couple those factors with altitude in the higher cities like Albuquerque or El Paso, you'll see more open blue skies in these towns than most others in the U.S.

Sure, big cities - even with the SW - encounter "big city" sun problems such as smog, etc. (although minimal in ABQ and Tucson) - still, you'll see more open sunny skies in these cities than anywhere else in big city U.S. The Midwest, the Pac NW, the NE, and the Southeast all garner more clouds, less sun, etc., due to the higher humidity levels. Less humidity typically equals more sun...and that is only found in the U.S. SW.

[Steve-o]

Youre correct. I think we're not on the same page though. I was talking about the quality of the blue, not quantity. Yes, the SW is arid, hence no humidity and abundant sunshine, but the color of the skies around the large cities is not impressive. But travel up to Sedona or St. George, UT or White Sands, NM and theyre royal blue and gorgeous, due to lack of pollution, etc.

[yukon]

When I first moved to Dallas, in the 80's, they had the most beautiful, clear, blue skies I'd ever seen. Reminded me of blue crystals.

[yukon]

Originally Posted by ajf131

The sky in St. Louis is pretty blue, however it does rain a lot here. Florida probably has blue skies...they don't call it the Sunshine State for nothing hehe

Our skies are pretty at times, but I think the blue is deeper in the SW. And we're called the Sunshine State due to an advertising campaign back in the 60's that the Florida Orange Juice industry ran - start your day with a glass of sunshine (or something like that). Phrase caught on and next thing 'ya know, we're the Sunshine State (but it is better than the Stupid State, so I'm not complaining).

[nancy thereader]

Believe it or not, the Eastern end of Long Island , when it is late afternoon & you are headed East has the most pure light that you can imagine and the skies are filled with an otherworldly blueness .

[kcsummer]

I vote for San Diego. And check out the Del Coronado Hotel there, FANTASTIC!

[moot]

I've been to San Francisco, and I'm from New York. The sky is milky-white all summer long, too.

San Francisco's skies are a perfect blue in the summer. When it's sunny, it's very sunny.

Likewise for the mountain states, I assume.