Is Phoenix peak summer heat similar to cold winter hibernation? (2014, crime rate)

[thinkalot]

Originally Posted by mrshowtime3

So I think id still take the hot over cold. But someone moving here should know how hot it is. I kinda fell for the dry heat nonsense before coming here.

I can tell you, it doesnt matter at all. Its actually much hotter here on a 80's degree day then just about any 90's degree day back on the east coast. The sun is just much hotter here to the skin. It soaks right to the bone. The humidity difference only factors in if sitting in the shade. If you want to do a activity its MUCH hotter out here. And I havent even experienced 100+ yet. Thats going to be insane.

You couldn't be more wrong. The humidity is always with you shade or not in the East. Most people like the heat to the bone. Feels great.

I have had visitors in August and they say it was better here than back East at that time of year.

I moved here in August, there were people on the golf courses, I found my home and have enjoyed every Summer since.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

You're definitely the exception. When I was young, I looked forward to the summers and the heat didn't bother me all that much. After many years living here, however, things began to change. I get sick headaches whenever I'm outside in the heat for even a short period of time. Even if the heat wasn't a health risk, it still is monotonous and hard to handle for lots of people. Many other natives & long term residents say the same things: they didn't mind it when they were young, or when they were newbies, but it becomes less enjoyable the longer they live here. Thankfully I'm able to get away to cooler locations in the summer.

This also has to do with the "grass is always greener" syndrome as well, after 5+ summers here you start to forget that summer where you came from isn't all that great either. Every time were back east in the summer months I'm reminded, oh yeah the sun is hot here too, it's pretty uncomfortable outside for long stretches of the day here too, and oh yeah the shade created on the forested trails is nice but it's also muddy, humid and buggy to go with all those trees.

I've been here for 14 years now but had an almost 4 year break where I moved out East, originally looking forward to seasons, more comfortable summers and all that stuff. After a few years I quickly missed Phoenix, our 7-8 months of glorious weather is hard to beat elsewhere and I found the summers much easier to adapt to then unpredictable winter weather in other places.

[thrillobyte]

My brother lives in Phoenix. Last summer I tracked him because of his age (81) and saw extended weeks of 110-117F there while we were baking here in Los Angeles in 105-107. The summers seem to be getting hotter and hotter there and I think several days of 120 are not far off. Whether it's global warming because of natural heat cycles or it's man-made I have no idea. I only know the effects. A woman letter carrier died last summer in an un-air-conditioned mail truck when it reached 117 in Woodlands Hills.



https://www.dailynews.com/2019/02/15...e-mail-trucks/

[locolife]

Originally Posted by thrillobyte

My brother lives in Phoenix. Last summer I tracked him because of his age (81) and saw extended weeks of 110-117F there while we were baking here in Los Angeles in 105-107. The summers seem to be getting hotter and hotter there and I think several days of 120 are not far off. Whether it's global warming because of natural heat cycles or it's man-made I have no idea. I only know the effects. A woman letter carrier died last summer in an un-air-conditioned mail truck when it reached 117 in Woodlands Hills.



https://www.dailynews.com/2019/02/15...e-mail-trucks/

Global climate change is just that, people are dying all over the world due to extreme weather events. We have not hit 120 since the 1990s, don’t jinx it!

But more seriously speaking I don’t think we know enough to say what the impact will be, one unexpected change has been more hurricane remnants pushing into Arizona from the gulf of California, this just gave us a top 10 water year combined with El Niño. Will such conditions occur more frequently as ocean temps rise? If so how much moisture do we get and of course that knocks temperature down as well. Does a warmer ocean mean longer and more frequent El Niño cycles?

Stretches of 110+ and 117 degree days have always occurred in the Sonoran desert, that’s just life here. What’s been happening lately is our summers go longer and nights are staying warmer but we actually aren’t seeing a ton of extreme temperatures, meaning so far it has translated into all time record highs for a year it does mean well set records in April and October as summer lasts longer.

I think the reality is nobody knows what’s going to happen, I travel quite a bit for work and see the impacts all over the world. From massive wildfires in the northwest to record setting rains and flooding in the northeast and of course the south seeing larger and more dramatic hurricanes. The idea that one is going to move somewhere better to avoid Global Climate Change is silly.

[hikernut]

Originally Posted by locolife

I've been here for 14 years now but had an almost 4 year break where I moved out East, originally looking forward to seasons, more comfortable summers and all that stuff. After a few years I quickly missed Phoenix, our 7-8 months of glorious weather is hard to beat elsewhere and I found the summers much easier to adapt to then unpredictable winter weather in other places.

Certainly half of the year has fantastic weather. Hopefully I’ll be retiring in a few years. I will absolutely not be spending the summers here after that. So either we will move, or we’ll have a second residence for the summer. I’m not keen on owning two places, but who knows.

[HTY483]

Originally Posted by hikernut

Unfortunately, I don’t get enough vacation, and weekend trips fighting the traffic to get north are not worth it IMO.

And it didn't used to be like that. When we moved to the Valley back in the 80's the mountain regions weren't very crowded during summer weekends. Now, going up to Flagg on July afternoon you'll see crowds and crowds of people milling around their quaint little Boulderesque (CO) downtown and you just know it's all the Phoenicians up there escaping heat.

Sedona is different story altogether. The crowds have gotten so heavy it's almost not enjoyable, regardless of time of year.

[mrshowtime3]

Originally Posted by hikernut

Certainly half of the year has fantastic weather. Hopefully I’ll be retiring in a few years. I will absolutely not be spending the summers here after that. So either we will move, or we’ll have a second residence for the summer. I’m not keen on owning two places, but who knows.

Because AZ is such a snowbird mecca I think it would be easier to have your full time home elsewhere and find a 4-6 month vacation rental here for the winter.

[hikernut]

Originally Posted by mrshowtime3

Because AZ is such a snowbird mecca I think it would be easier to have your full time home elsewhere and find a 4-6 month vacation rental here for the winter.

Sure, either direction could work. Maybe I’ll just let my wife decide

[mrshowtime3]

Originally Posted by hikernut

Sure, either direction could work. Maybe I’ll just let my wife decide

Its certainly a interesting scenario for us. We can pretty safely say we arent desert folk at this point and its not even 100+ yet. I could winter here for sure. But dont see enjoying the summer. We are gonna see how Prescott goes.

Setting up permanent residence in a better tax state and just wintering in AZ might be something we look at in the future.

[thrillobyte]

Let's put aside the extreme negative of the blast-furnace summers for a moment and just look at the city itself. People are saying, "Don't move here. It's turning into another Los Angeles with crazy unlicensed and uninsured drivers, sprawling infrastructure and a greatly reduced government safety net."

Why is Phoenix such a popular retirement destination with so many negatives?