On a scale 1-10, how do you rate Phoenix climate to where you've lived in the past? (to live in, cost of)

[lvmensch]

Originally Posted by FirebirdCamaro1220

Yep, and only mid June to late August, early June can still be iffy in Rochester

Disagree. Got 2 decades in ROC more visiting it. Nicer or equal place than Phoenix (or My Vegas) from May through September. Maybe even until Thanksgiving or until the first real snow storm. So 4.5 or 5.

The pits in March April. Gray rain and cold. Actually nicer in the peak of winter than in the spring.

Lived a couple of decades in northern Orange County. That is a solid 8. If you went another 5 or 10 miles inland it would be a 9.5. The coastal plain is too foggy and overcast part of the year to get there.

Can't see Phoenix or Las Vegas getting higher than as 7 or 8. Phoenix better in the winter...Las Vegas gets too cool. But Vegas is significantly better in the heat. Mostly due to a very light monsoon in comparison to Phoenix ( or Tucson)

[Zathras]

Originally Posted by locolife

I’m sure part of the reason but guessing you also wanted a decent job market, affordable COL, plus probably things to do, healthcare, a major airport etc..?

I brought my job with me, and the COL is a fair amount higher here than the midwest. I could have chosen most any city to move to. We wanted the Phoenix climate. To be fair, we love the scenery as well, which is somewhat unique. But the primary reason we moved to Phoenix is we wanted to trade the harsh winters for the harsh summers. I still travel back to our company HQ in OH every year during the winter, and that keeps reminding me what a great trade it was.

[FirebirdCamaro1220]

Originally Posted by lvmensch

Disagree. Got 2 decades in ROC more visiting it. Nicer or equal place than Phoenix (or My Vegas) from May through September. Maybe even until Thanksgiving or until the first real snow storm. So 4.5 or 5.

The pits in March April. Gray rain and cold. Actually nicer in the peak of winter than in the spring.

Lived a couple of decades in northern Orange County. That is a solid 8. If you went another 5 or 10 miles inland it would be a 9.5. The coastal plain is too foggy and overcast part of the year to get there.

Can't see Phoenix or Las Vegas getting higher than as 7 or 8. Phoenix better in the winter...Las Vegas gets too cool. But Vegas is significantly better in the heat. Mostly due to a very light monsoon in comparison to Phoenix ( or Tucson)

May and September can be hit or miss, especially in colder than average years. Can get frost in early May or late September. Also, most May's have days that don't get out of the 50's. Hence why I only like mid June to late August there

[lvmensch]

Originally Posted by FirebirdCamaro1220

May and September can be hit or miss, especially in colder than average years. Can get frost in early May or late September. Also, most May's have days that don't get out of the 50's. Hence why I only like mid June to late August there

Yeah but...my favorite is an Easter week Company affair. Went into bar/restaurant at 11:30. Beautiful sunny day in the high 80s. Came out two hours later into a driving snowstorm at 25 degrees.

But you that was actually part of the charm of the place.. We all knew what to do and happily drove off into the blizzard.

[Marie Joseph]

Originally Posted by Zathras

We absolutely moved here for the weather/climate. 8 years ago from Ohio.

Overall, the total 'good days/bad days' ratio is FAR better here. 'bad days' is obviously subjective based on any given person's feelings about warm and cool temps, but for me I'd say here being anything over 105 is 'bad', and back there being anything under 40.

And then of course you get all the physical issues that are associated with each extreme- in the cold that means scraping, shoveling, driving in snow and slush, potholes, salt damage, closures, etc. In the heat that means not going barefoot in the sun baked porch, and keeping a bottle of water in your car.

So for us, we'd rather deal with the bad of hot than the bad of cold, so we made the decision to move here for the climate, 100%.

The fact that this is also a retirement destination means many people do exactly that.

Anyway, to answer the OP, I'd give Phx an 8/10, and Ohio a 5/10.

I think that sometimes people underestimate the importance of climate on the choice of finding a new location.

I certainly have made that mistake in the past and definitely don't intend to repeat it

My climate preferences are opposite of yours since I went out of my way to get back to the snow 'n' cloud belt but I fully understand what you are saying about "good days/bad days" for weather. No place is perfect but it sounds like you have found somewhere that has a lot more of the good days for you

I had to laugh when you mentioned going barefoot on sunny surfaces in Arizona. I was down there in 2005 for a company event and made the mistake of stepping out barefoot onto a patio that had been baking in the sun all day. That was the day I found out that AZ sun is a lot more intense than the Upstate NY sun I was used to

[new2colo]

I'd give the climate a 5. The lack of humidity during the winter (November-February) makes it feel much cooler (to me) than the actual air temperature, especially in the shade. During winter, the diurnal temperature swing (difference between nighttime lows and daytime highs) is a little more extreme than I like. The minute the sun goes down, it feels like the temperature tumbles 20 degrees. Even though the high temperature might register as 70, it is normally on 70 degrees for a short period of time for the day. Most of the day is in the 40s, 50s and 60s.

March and April are the most pleasant months of the year here for me. High temperatures consistently in the 80s with low temperatures above 55 are perfect with our lack of humidity.

Summer is summer. I don't react very negatively to the heat, but there are some days where it can become an annoyance. I don't have a temperature threshold where hot becomes too hot, but the monotony of 107, 109, 110, 112, 109 degree weeks can become a bit much. I rarely travel to cooler climates because of the depression of driving back to the Valley and dealing with the shock of coming from Flagstaff or Los Angeles.

The transition into fall can be a bit abrupt here, but it's definitely a welcome change to have the first night where I can sleep with the windows open comfortably.

[kent_moore]

Not really lived but I spend significant amount of time on these places.

Phoenix - 6. But the amenities like pool, cars and centralized AC houses makes the hot summer bearable if not comfortable. The rest of the year is perfect.
Mexicali - 2. Weather is pretty much the same as in Phoenix but the amenities aren't comparable.
Singapore - 6. Very hot and humid and you have to walk most of the time.
Manila - 4. Thanks to the nearby beaches but everyday life during summer is horrible. Monsoon season is as bad as summer.
Portland - 3. Where's the sun?
Denver - 5. The elevation gives me headache. The weather is very unpredictable.
Penang, Malaysia - 8. So far the best weather among the places I've been.
Saint Petersburg, Russia - depends on the season, white nights season is simply the best, but it is just 2 months.

So it all depends to the season. I can give Phoenix 10 for that 7-8 months of the year, but the other 4 months are really harsh. It is also depends on what amenities the place has. In Singapore, only few percent of the population own a car, the rest take the public transport and you have to walk to reach the nearest bus stop or train station, it is always sunny in Singapore. In Portland, seems like the place was forsaken with those rains and clouds almost the entire year, people are used to slip their car on the road. And even if the weather is the same as in Phoenix, you would never want to go to Mexicali during summer.

[CAHLUV]

I have lived in many places because of a military background but will limit it to cities in the states:

Phoenix 6.5/10
Los Angeles 9/10
San Diego 9.5
Kansas City, Mo 5/10
Norfolk, VA 2.5 ugh not a fan
Honolulu, Hawaii 9.5
Everett(Seattle) 5/10

[locolife]

Originally Posted by Zathras

I brought my job with me, and the COL is a fair amount higher here than the midwest. I could have chosen most any city to move to. We wanted the Phoenix climate. To be fair, we love the scenery as well, which is somewhat unique. But the primary reason we moved to Phoenix is we wanted to trade the harsh winters for the harsh summers. I still travel back to our company HQ in OH every year during the winter, and that keeps reminding me what a great trade it was.

That makes sense on the job and COL may be higher but it’s not coastal CA higher otherwise I’m sure the decision wouldn’t have been so easy right? Also having a major airport seems important since you have to go to HQ in OH sometimes. And I’m sure the perks of a major metro had to weigh in a bit too with dining, entertainment, healthcare etc... I get that a warm climate is a major factor but it can’t be the only one, otherwise a lot more people would live in Yuma, Tucson, Lake Havasu City, etc...

I too left my hometown with a primary decision factor being weather but the reality is other factors played major roles for picking Phoenix specifically as opposed to hundreds of other warm cities of any size.

[MillBurray]

Phoenix - 6
Atlanta - 6
Statesboro, GA - 5
Trier, Germany - 4
Seoul, South Korea - 5
Destin, Fl - 4
Rolla, MO - 2

I’ve never live in California, but I have visited San Diego, San Jose, and LA. Personally I’d give San Diego and San Jose 10s from my limited experience with their weather. Mallorca Spain gets a 10 as well.

Phoenix’s best quality is the predictability of the weather. I recall a day in December when I flew from Phoenix to Atlanta and it 20 degrees warmer in Atlanta than it was in Phoenix . . . but it dropped to the 20s before I left. I was there for 2 weeks, lol.