Phoenix summers and the monsoon Season (Gilbert: find a job, buy, moving to)

[MNtoAZ]

My wife and I, as well as our newborn (expecting in November) and our pets are planning on packing our belongings and moving to the Valley of the Sun (specifically Gilbert, hopefully) in May 2012.

I have visited MANY times over the past 20 years. However, never before October or later than April. So I have never experienced a Phoenix summer, or MONSOON season. And, honestly, (provided I find a job) that is my only concern.

Can someone explain them for me, please?

I'm not too concerned about summer in general (MN is zero degrees, snowy/icy, and windy 7 months every year), but I AM concerned about the monsoon season (I have heard it can be very humid along with 115 temps for 6 weeks on end).

Hoping to hear from a local on these 2 subjects.

Thanks!

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by MNtoAZ

My wife and I, as well as our newborn (expecting in November) and our pets are planning on packing our belongings and moving to the Valley of the Sun (specifically Gilbert, hopefully) in May 2012.

I have visited MANY times over the past 20 years. However, never before October or later than April. So I have never experienced a Phoenix summer, or MONSOON season. And, honestly, (provided I find a job) that is my only concern.

Can someone explain them for me, please?

I'm not too concerned about summer in general (MN is zero degrees, snowy/icy, and windy 7 months every year), but I AM concerned about the monsoon season (I have heard it can be very humid along with 115 temps for 6 weeks on end).

Hoping to hear from a local on these 2 subjects.

Thanks!

There are only about 10 days per year when the temps get over 110 in Phoenix. And many of those are in the dry heat at the end of June. 115 is not common, especially in monsoon. That is the kind of temps we get in June.

Monsoon is moisture that flows from the east and southeast into AZ in summer. It results in infrequent (in Phoenix) storms of variable severity. It accounts for about half of the annual rainfall in the deserts and is the reason AZ has a very "green" desert compared to the rest of the world's.

Most here LOVE monsoon, , especially in the beginning. It is change and the desert storms fill up the senses as John Denver put it. It does get muggy by comparison with the rest of the year and by the time it ends in September we are happy to see it go. It does not get to 115 with high humidity, though. Temps actually drop when the monsoon starts because the humid airmass is harder to heat up. The moisture ebbs and flows. It is typically around 105 on "monsoon days" and 110 on the drier days. If there is a good storm one night, the next day can be cloudy with temps in the cool 90s. The worst days are the ones where the moisture sort of goes away, temps soar up and there is no rain. We have had a lot of years with a lot of days like that lately.

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

There are only about 10 days per year when the temps get over 110 in Phoenix. And many of those are in the dry heat at the end of June. 115 is not common, especially in monsoon. That is the kind of temps we get in June.

Monsoon is moisture that flows from the east and southeast into AZ in summer. It results in infrequent (in Phoenix) storms of variable severity. It accounts for about half of the annual rainfall in the deserts and is the reason AZ has a very "green" desert compared to the rest of the world's.

Most here LOVE monsoon, , especially in the beginning. It is change and the desert storms fill up the senses as John Denver put it. It does get muggy by comparison with the rest of the year and by the time it ends in September we are happy to see it go. It does not get to 115 with high humidity, though. Temps actually drop when the monsoon starts because the humid airmass is harder to heat up. The moisture ebbs and flows. It is typically around 105 on "monsoon days" and 110 on the drier days. If there is a good storm one night, the next day can be cloudy with temps in the cool 90s. The worst days are the ones where the moisture sort of goes away, temps soar up and there is no rain. We have had a lot of years with a lot of days like that lately.

GREAT explanation! The only thing I'd add is that our monsoon humidity is nothing like humidity in the midwest and south.

[Java Jolt]

The summertime monsoon seems to be and hit and miss as far as storms and rain in the last few years.

I remember when I moved here 15 years ago it seemed like there was a storm almost every evening in July and August somewhere in or near Phoenix, now we're lucky to get one good rainstorm and it seems much more hot and dry in between.

The excessively hot temperatures like 115 don't happen on a regular basis, usually in late June like Ponderosa wrote, or once in a while in July or August when the monsoon takes a long break.

[MNtoAZ]

I'll share your replies with my wife, THANK YOU!

Please keep the replies coming. The summer-time weather is our one and only fear!

[Java Jolt]

Originally Posted by MNtoAZ

I'll share your replies with my wife, THANK YOU!

Please keep the replies coming. The summer-time weather is our one and only fear!

Keep this in mind too, the summertime monsoon is not always humid and stormy, lots of times it's just blazing hot and sunny but when we do get a big storm look out!

If you drive your car right after one of these heavy rainstorms and see what looks like a small puddle in the street, don't be fooled.

Many times those puddles are deluges and you should never try to drive through them, it can be a matter of life or death.

One thing to know is the monsoon season usually lasts for just two months, July and August, not the entire summer. June and September are usually on the dry side.

[Nanny Goat]

Last few summers were more humid, IMO. Not number wise anything like other areas, but you could feel it (cuz we're so used to not having any). You know, the summers are hot, usually 4 months--June, July, August and September. Sometimes October is really hot, too. Just the way it is here. I never acclimated, whatever that really means, to extreme high temps like these. You turn your A/C on and do errands early. And, buy a property with a pool if you can. It does help.

[AZPam]

Isn't our humidity during monsoon season something like 30%? That is nothing when coming from the midwest

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by AZPam

Isn't our humidity during monsoon season something like 30%? That is nothing when coming from the midwest

Yep. We're not even in the same ballpark with humidity in other parts of the country.

[MNtoAZ]

30% is the HUMID time of year? That is as dry as a summer day would ever get here in MN. Add in the crazy winds (we are in one of the windiest counties in America), and the weather is pretty miserable 12 months a year. There are 4-5 good days throughout the year though.