Is 110F in Arizona mild and comfortable compared to 85F back east? (Phoenix: living, dangerous)

[Mini-apple-less]

This is why I always hear, but is it just PR or is the Arizona heat really that much more comfortable and tolerable compared to the humid eastern heat? I've experienced 113F in Vegas and it was pretty horrible, especially considering it's still in the 80s at night. I doubt I could have tolerated it for more than a couple days without going crazy and being miserable.

Is 110F in Arizona similar to say a humid 75F during the spring back east?

[sandy6879]

No. 110 is hot. You'll know it's above 100. It's not as miserable as the humidity levels but it's nowhere close to feeling like 75F on the east coast.

[Bummer]

I'm gonna disagree on this one . . .

I would much prefer 100 plus Degrees with Single Digit Humidity over 75 with 90 plus Humidity.

[Fiddlehead]

No. 110 is scorching. It is not only the heat but the clear skies and the direct solar radiation that are brain broiling.

I would say that 110 is like 95 degrees with considerable humidity. In other words, damn hot.

Some true desert rats can go out in 110f and be unphased, but most people act like the wildlife, gathering near water, or coming out in the morning and evenings. It won't kill you, but it takes some getting used to.

Living as I do in Flagstaff, when the monsoon is rolling, it is frequently 75 degrees with high humidity. No problem at all. I just don't feel hot at 75 degrees, period, especially when it is cloudy and rainy. It feels fresh and lovely. If it is 85, things start to get sticky, but still no biggie. Above 85 degrees, with high humidity is where it gets gnarly. At that point, the nights start to get unpleasant.

[sandy6879]

OP stated they didn't like the 113 in Las Vegas. If they don't like 113 in Vegas, they won't think that 110 is like 75 back east. The lack of humidity, yes. But once we hit 110, we are typically dealing with humidity as well at that point in the year.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by sandy6879

OP stated they didn't like the 113 in Las Vegas. If they don't like 113 in Vegas, they won't think that 110 is like 75 back east. The lack of humidity, yes. But once we hit 110, we are typically dealing with humidity as well at that point in the year.

To a point. The 110 plus days are usually accompanied by less humidity than in other summer days. That's why most of them are in June, before the monsoon really cooks up.

[Westbound and Down]

110 in Phoenix is quite hot, even with low humidity. Not only hot, but can be dangerous for the unaware.

Once the needle crosses 105 in Phoenix, it gets noticeably increasingly uncomfortable. I experienced 115 once there, and it was like being in a furnace.

[AZJoeD]

It is not possible to compare high temperatures here with high humidity back east. Arizona can be quite comfortable at temperatures exceeding 100, but at 110 it is very hot and it hard to be comfortable because the sun is so intense. Back east with the high humidity you sweat and will become very uncomfortable even in the mid 80s. It is a very different feeling.

[goolsbyjazz]

I grew up in the Northeast. Even though 110 is hot...really hot, I still prefer it over the humidity I remember back east. Consequently, the last time I was back in Boston the morning I was leaving it was just 70 degrees outside, however, it was about 80-85 percent humidity! I couldn't stay dry!
Also back east I couldn't drive to cooler temps like I can in Arizona. On those hot days I head north and can experience at least a 20 degree difference here. Back east the humidity is all over. But make no mistake about it, 110 is very hot!

[Fiddlehead]

I grew up in the heat. Not Phoenix, but Central Valley and Owens Valley, California. I have experienced up to about 117, which was hot enough for me! I have also worked outside on all day on days between 105-110. That is just too much. For me, 100 degree is when I start to notice it is getting toasty. When the humidity is low, and I have an ice tea or beer in hand, 95 is not a big deal. The evenings are actually very nice. Once you hit 110, it is just scorching. I can only imagine, but 120, well, stay inside, or dowse yourself head to toe with ice water! One cool thing about the low humidity, any sort of water sport will cool you off beautifully for while. Just put on a wet long sleeve shirt and you can cool down 20 degrees instantly.

Agreed about the elevation. The West has much more climatic diversity than the East, due to the high mountains. Phoenix and Flagstaff show almost 30 degrees difference in temp all year round. In Flagstaff, you don't even need a cooler in summer.