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It seems like we can’t go a single month without one of these posts. Do people not know how to use the search function? I guarantee this has been asked a bunch of times from even before the Internet existed.
“But it’s a dry heat” Yes, and so is an oven. It’s hot. We shouldn’t have to repeat this constantly in this forum. We have a “no politics” rule but I’d like to get rid of the “dry heat vs. humid heat” threads too. Read the huge plethora if you want to know about Phoenix weather specifically that have been posted here, one of the many in the General US forums, or even better, go to the weather forum! That’s the whole point of the weather forum.
Deserts are oppressive, so are jungles. One is not better than the other. Debating a steam or a grill preparation for food is still asking to be cooked. It’s a matter of preference which *no one* on this forum can answer for you.
Couldn't agree more PP, it feels like an endless cycle on this forum. Some % of posters sound like they can't deal with it while it seems like many of us have adapted and know most cities have a less favorable weather season.
Aunt and Uncle moved BACK to HOUSTON after moving to Phoenix! What???
My aunt and uncle lived in Houston for 20 years while my my aunt worked as a chemical engineer. (Originally from Michigan) When she retired, they bought a house in Phoenix expecting to live there the rest of their days. However, they ended up running back to Houston after living there for 4 years.
They had a few complaints, one being the weather. The relentless sun! Yes, it was a dry heat, but it was non stop hot sun all the time for most of the year and they didn't like that. They were used to more variety in the weather. My uncle liked the rainstorms that would temporarily cool everything off. And being Finnish, growing up in saunas with the steam from the rocks, I guess he didn't mind the steam bath that followed those rainstorms!
They also missed the green. They didn't care for the brown environment in the southwest.
Last but not least, non weather related, they missed being in what they called, "a real city". Phoenix just didn't do it for them in that respect.
So looks like they're in Houston for good. They've hinted we should move there, but I had to explain to them that being asthmatic, I probably would suffocate under the level of humidity they get. Even visiting them in March one year I needed to take a hit off my otherwise rarely used inhaler
Couldn't agree more PP, it feels like an endless cycle on this forum. Some % of posters sound like they can't deal with it while it seems like many of us have adapted and know most cities have a less favorable weather season.
Yes a sticky post would be great, might suggest it to the mods.
As a cold-blooded person I have very much made my opinions regarding our summers here well-known. I still put up with it against my will but it's much less scary to me than a Minnesotan winter.
For me personally, I cannot tolerate humid heat in any way shape or form. I get raging migraines, I will sweat profusely (I do that here too but it's much worse in the South), and I will get heat exhaustion no matter how much water I'm consuming. Or maybe the Chesapeake Bay is cursed in July because that is what I was experiencing. And to think Maryland was far enough north to avoid Florida/Louisiana levels of summers... how silly of me. I've done my fair share of blacking out here in the Phoenix summers but those times was because I was a stupid kid, not a grown adult chugging gallons of water at a time while out on the boat in the shade. I've also blacked out in the Cambodian and Malaysian jungles despite drinking all the water that I can. I just can't get it down for some reason. Once I stopped being an adolescent accommodating for heat stroke in Phoenix is very easy thing to accomplish, cannot say that about the South. But maybe the South is rigged against me, even when I was in Maryland with my other Phoenix family members (born and raised Phoenicians like myself) had no problems.
Aunt and Uncle moved BACK to HOUSTON after moving to Phoenix! What???
My aunt and uncle lived in Houston for 20 years while my my aunt worked as a chemical engineer. (Originally from Michigan) When she retired, they bought a house in Phoenix expecting to live there the rest of their days. However, they ended up running back to Houston after living there for 4 years.
They had a few complaints, one being the weather. The relentless sun! Yes, it was a dry heat, but it was non stop hot sun all the time for most of the year and they didn't like that. They were used to more variety in the weather. My uncle liked the rainstorms that would temporarily cool everything off. And being Finnish, growing up in saunas with the steam from the rocks, I guess he didn't mind the steam bath that followed those rainstorms!
They also missed the green. They didn't care for the brown environment in the southwest.
Last but not least, non weather related, they missed being in what they called, "a real city". Phoenix just didn't do it for them in that respect.
So looks like they're in Houston for good. They've hinted we should move there, but I had to explain to them that being asthmatic, I probably would suffocate under the level of humidity they get. Even visiting them in March one year I needed to take a hit off my otherwise rarely used inhaler
Yes, it's not only the heat but the relentless sun day after day. Many people also don't realize that not only can this be monotonous, but dangerous. Lately, it's been seemingly non stop sun, which translates to a lack of precipitation, which is contributing to the current extreme drought & tinder dry fire conditions. So I agree with your aunt & uncle to a certain extent, but I would also grow tired of a climate with excessive humidity as is very common in Houston. No place is perfect when it comes to weather/climate.
Regarding Phoenix not being a "real city": I've heard this same complaint many times before, and it's usually related to how Phoenix is largely suburban styled & doesn't have a very lively downtown compared to other big cities. The thing to keep in mind is: Phoenix is this way largely because of the types of transplants we get. When people move here for things like retirement or a change in the climate, that usually doesn't bring in the ones who care much about cultural amenities, active nightlife, or high paying competitive jobs ... things that define a "real city". In this regard, we need to change our focus and start behaving like the nation's 5th largest city so that we can attract more of those who want a thriving urban city (without the sleaze factor that sometimes accompanies this).
Regarding Phoenix not being a "real city": I've heard this same complaint many times before, and it's usually related to how Phoenix is largely suburban styled & doesn't have a very lively downtown compared to other big cities. The thing to keep in mind is: Phoenix is this way largely because of the types of transplants we get. When people move here for things like retirement or a change in the climate, that usually doesn't bring in the ones who care much about cultural amenities, active nightlife, or high paying competitive jobs ... things that define a "real city". In this regard, we need to change our focus and start behaving like the nation's 5th largest city so that we can attract more of those who want a thriving urban city (without the sleaze factor that sometimes accompanies this).
There was so much happening on the development front pre-Covid. Hopefully a lot of it eventually happens and places like Arizona Center, which have taken big hits because of the pandemic, come back.
Yes a sticky post would be great, might suggest it to the mods.
As a cold-blooded person I have very much made my opinions regarding our summers here well-known. I still put up with it against my will but it's much less scary to me than a Minnesotan winter.
For me personally, I cannot tolerate humid heat in any way shape or form. I get raging migraines, I will sweat profusely (I do that here too but it's much worse in the South), and I will get heat exhaustion no matter how much water I'm consuming. Or maybe the Chesapeake Bay is cursed in July because that is what I was experiencing. And to think Maryland was far enough north to avoid Florida/Louisiana levels of summers... how silly of me. I've done my fair share of blacking out here in the Phoenix summers but those times was because I was a stupid kid, not a grown adult chugging gallons of water at a time while out on the boat in the shade. I've also blacked out in the Cambodian and Malaysian jungles despite drinking all the water that I can. I just can't get it down for some reason. Once I stopped being an adolescent accommodating for heat stroke in Phoenix is very easy thing to accomplish, cannot say that about the South. But maybe the South is rigged against me, even when I was in Maryland with my other Phoenix family members (born and raised Phoenicians like myself) had no problems.
Wow, you have a serious reaction to humidity. I hate humidity mixed with high temps so I can relate a bit. I grew up near New Orleans but also worked in Arlington, Virginia and even Arlington was worse for me than Phoenix due to the summer humidity and like you, I thought Arlington would be far enough north not to have a problem with summer humidity.
I've worked in 20 countries around the world and have experienced all types of climate extremes and your body does adapt to the climate after 6-12 months of it. I still prefer the Arizona climate more than anywhere outside of California and Hawaii and possibly the most southern part of Oregon, of the USA.
Wow, you have a serious reaction to humidity. I hate humidity mixed with high temps so I can relate a bit. I grew up near New Orleans but also worked in Arlington, Virginia and even Arlington was worse for me than Phoenix due to the summer humidity and like you, I thought Arlington would be far enough north not to have a problem with summer humidity.
I've worked in 20 countries around the world and have experienced all types of climate extremes and your body does adapt to the climate after 6-12 months of it. I still prefer the Arizona climate more than anywhere outside of California and Hawaii and possibly the most southern part of Oregon, of the USA.
Some of my favorite climates so far have been high desert (think ABQ/Santa Fe), whatever Flagstaff is (though ideally with less snow), and humid and mild/cool in high elevation (50s-60s in the tropics). Struggled in Hawaii too as a kid I remembered that (on the coast anyway). Struggled on the Italian and Greek coasts in the summer. I don't think it's the humidity but a combination of it with the heat that's the problem. I've enjoyed NYC in the early spring (March). It is possible that Maryland was going through some kind of heatwave when I was there as when I went to SW Florida right after it was the same temperatures and humidity, and at that point the headaches went away, still had the other problems. Maybe I ate too many crabs.
Back in February I went up to the top of Mount Lemmon down in Tucson and it was 24 degrees Fahrenheit. A light cloud cover that cleared up quickly and became sunny. Quickly warmed up to 34 or so by the time I left. I was beyond freezing, but I only wore a light jacket, jeans, a thicker winter beanie, and some basic socks and sneakers. There were many problems with my outfit in this weather, needed gloves, my ankles were exposed, and the jacket was thin. Sat on a frozen iced metal ski lift (hadn't melted off yet) for about 40 minutes or so and I did pretty good. I was dressing for 40 degree weather which is what I expected and to be fair Mount Lemmon did get up to that, but just not until the afternoon after I left. I did better than my roommate, who is from Pennsylvania, and has actually seen snow more than 3 times in her life.
My other qualm with living here is that I will burn within 30 minutes of being outside. This is exacerbated by the fact the skincare routine I am supposed to be following (emphasis on supposed to) only makes me even more prone to sunburns. As a result I don't take care of my skin condition like I need to be doing (it doesn't negatively affect me, just not nice looking). I blame my Scotch-Irish genes.
My point being is that if my cold-blooded white self can handle Phoenix I think most people can. It's really over exaggerated. Just be sure to wear sunscreen and double or triple your normal water intake if you do anything physically strenuous outside in the heat. It's not that bad.
Went to Florida in August no where near as bad as here in Phoenix. It cools down at night there here the concrete radiates 100F heat until 3am. If you come in July that is the best time usually by July 15th heat will peak with just enough humidity to drive the heat index highest numbers in the country. Most people who post here that love the heat here are retired from the Midwest they spend their summers here in AC homes, and cars don't do much outside. Homes are rock landscaped nothing to trim or mow in the summer. Winter no snow to deal with or cold yeah it gets cool here for a few weeks in December to January throw on a light coat. July is the best month to decide if you like it here.
Are you referring to the banana belt region of Brookings by chance?
I prefer Ashland and Medford area climate with more sun than Brookings....moderate temps, moderate rainfall, low wind, moderate sun hours.
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Strange, but true.
