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I’ve had car A/Cs go out, my own A/C go out, live with only a swamp cooler, work an outdoor job at peak of day in the summer, ride my bike from school and back outside, plenty of times. Walked miles in an AZ summer before down in Tucson.
But too many people, both natives and newcomers, don’t have the sheer tenacity, the willpower, it takes to truly live there. Phoenix is hard on the skin, hard on the body, hard on the mind. And if you want to live this agoraphobic homebody lifestyle of working in a room with central air, living in central air, commuting in central air, and never leaving it unless you are walking in a parking lot to another place with central air, or the pool, Phoenix is a good deal for many. But I don’t think that’s a life worth living, and it’s unnatural.
But the truth is people are lazy, and refuse to actually do what it takes to acclimate. This means drinking water, lots of it, even weeks before the heat rolls around. It also means going outside, and sitting in the sun, during the peak of day in April and May to get started. Then keep it up, and maybe even doing something physically taxing peak of day. When I was pushing 200+ Lb people out at 3 pm in July as a teenage girl for my first job I didn’t whine about it unless I was dehydrated. I was happy about getting paid at the time. And while I wouldn’t call that job easy, the heat wasn’t as bad as everyone argued. Would I rather have been inside working a desk job? Sure, but every day as the summer went on the temperatures just seemed more “business as usual” rather than “oh my god I just burnt my hand on the parking gear again, why do I live here?”
If you want to live and die by A/C temperatures, then go pay that California premium. If you aren’t willing to pay that, then suck it up and deal with weather like everyone else. Everyone else experiences weather events. And I truly mean everyone. It’s humid, it rains, it snows, there’s ice, there’s a tornado, there’s a heatwave, etc. you pick your poison and find what works. Phoenix has too many people who think they can get this cheaper California-esque lifestyle and living more indoors. That’s not a life worth living to me.
The summers were always tolerable to me, but never enjoyable. Yes they were part of the reason I left, but unless you leave your A/C cube, you’ll never get a full life experience in Phoenix. Once you do you realize, yes it’s hot, but it’s very exaggerated. It’s the same logic that I’ve seen Minnesotans use for their winters, which is unless you fight the good fight with Mother Nature during those tough seasons, you’ll never be happy with life there and you’ll always complain about something else. Which is why most people leave after a few years. And people think Phoenix summers aren’t as bad as Midwest winters, I disagree. A summer in a hot desert is also life-threatening, and also has survival guide tips just like the Midwest. If you want an easy lifestyle with no inconveniences given to you on a silver platter, you are in the wrong city, and again one who needs to pay the California premium.
Spot on post. Lazy, unwilling to even attempt adjusting to something different, a good excuse for not going for your run or hike or walk.... my old coach used to tell us "excuses are like a**holes, everybody has one" Summers are HOT in most places, you'll here people complain about it everywhere.
I also think being nearby California causes people here to feel like we're somehow getting the short end of the stick, when the reality is everyone that doesn't live in coastal California gets some kind of unpleasant weather which is the majority of this nation's population.
I've gotten pretty acclimated to the heat and what I like most about summer is that the sun comes up super early and I can go run 7 or 8 miles in the desert, get Starbucks, go home and shower, and still get to work on time. If it is sunny, midday is hard to tolerate but 100F and overcast with a light breeze is a pretty nice day imo. Above 110F and sunny is uncomfortable though. I think my dogs would prefer someplace cooler tbh, but I abhor cold weather. Luckily we have a pool so we can play pool fetch when it's too hot for the dog park.
I've gotten pretty acclimated to the heat and what I like most about summer is that the sun comes up super early and I can go run 7 or 8 miles in the desert, get Starbucks, go home and shower, and still get to work on time. If it is sunny, midday is hard to tolerate but 100F and overcast with a light breeze is a pretty nice day imo. Above 110F and sunny is uncomfortable though. I think my dogs would prefer someplace cooler tbh, but I abhor cold weather. Luckily we have a pool so we can play pool fetch when it's too hot for the dog park.
I spent time this morning replacing a sprinkler head and reseeding a lawn. As long as I've got my large, bushy hat it's all good. This month I've planted maybe 10-12 lantana plants.
Right now it's time for my afternoon nap and afterwards I go swimming in my backyard pool.
I've enjoyed the heat in Phoenix while visiting. I mean if you're coming from the upper midwest or northeast yeah it's gonna seem like you're in a frying pan, but as someone born and raised in Southern California the heat in Phoenix is not that bad at all. Many people seem to hate the heat in Phoenix and want snow or "change of seasons" and I just don't get it. Phoenix is a great city and the reason it's growing so fast is because it has sunny year round weather, it does good for your mood and makes people sociable and active. It's the closest you can get to Southern California without paying the Southern California prices (though this is changing)
I've enjoyed the heat in Phoenix while visiting. I mean if you're coming from the upper midwest or northeast yeah it's gonna seem like you're in a frying pan, but as someone born and raised in Southern California the heat in Phoenix is not that bad at all. Many people seem to hate the heat in Phoenix and want snow or "change of seasons" and I just don't get it. Phoenix is a great city and the reason it's growing so fast is because it has sunny year round weather, it does good for your mood and makes people sociable and active. It's the closest you can get to Southern California without paying the Southern California prices (though this is changing)
Southern California summers are spectacular. When it's 110-115 in Phoenix it's maybe 75-80 in LA, and it can even be chilly on the beach.
No way anyone from LA area can say the heat is not that bad here. Summer in LA is like early spring in Phoenix.
Southern California summers are spectacular. When it's 110-115 in Phoenix it's maybe 75-80 in LA, and it can even be chilly on the beach.
No way anyone from LA area can say the heat is not that bad here. Summer in LA is like early spring in Phoenix.
He's probably referring to the IE. San Bernardino, Redlands and Moreno Valley get consistent weather over 100 degrees each summer. I do agree though that even summers in the IE are not near as taxing and burdensome as the Phoenix summers. I know Redlands cools down at night at least. None of that 100 degrees at midnight BS that you get in Phoenix!!!!
Still can't get over the hate. If it's so unbearable, we stay?
The only hatred I've seen on this thread is regarding the summer heat. Some of us reside here for other reasons besides the weather/climate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by locolife
And you go ahead and keep having a negative attitude about everything Phoenix related. That won't make you happy anywhere you go in life FYI.
Are you serious? All the things that I advocate for the Phoenix area are for the positive. Perhaps you should think outside the box and get a grip on reality a little more, instead of pinning the "negative" label on those who don't always adhere to your point of view. And FYI: when you do that, it brings out your negativity.
I recently returned from two weeks in Idaho & Montana where the weather was gorgeous, and the scenery was breathtaking. It makes me a much happier person to take these summer escapes to cooler & more scenic areas. Everybody should take those kinds of vacations when they're able to, including the ones who claim to love it here so much all year. It does a person a world of good to step outside the comfort zone & see other parts of the country ... and not just on business trips.
Quote:
Originally Posted by timothyaw
And you go on like Phoenix is a utopia, a perfect place with no flaws. I swear you work for the visitphoenix tourist authority. Yes there are a lot of positives about Phoenix. I share your views about how it is beautiful with the mountains and cacti etc. And how it's ever more becoming economically diversified with a strong economy.
But the heat for most of us is a big issue as it limits what you can do. There's a reason most festivals etc are held in the fall and winter. The endless sprawl, cloned over and over and over ad naseum block after block. The city doesn't have a real identity, it's kinda bland in that way. But so are a lot of other cities.
So yeah there are good and bad. How about be a little more balanced in your view of the area, instead of looking at it through your tunnel lens.
Yep. I admire his positive outlook toward the Phoenix area, but it really goes overboard at times.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NearFantastica
Phoenix is a great city and the reason it's growing so fast is because it has sunny year round weather, it does good for your mood and makes people sociable and active. It's the closest you can get to Southern California without paying the Southern California prices (though this is changing)
Which is one of the worst reasons to move here. The current drought & water shortages have been largely caused by an excessive amount of that mood improving sunny weather, and lack of rain & snowpack ... not just in Arizona, but in much of the west, including CA.
Quote:
Originally Posted by CCS414
He's probably referring to the IE. San Bernardino, Redlands and Moreno Valley get consistent weather over 100 degrees each summer. I do agree though that even summers in the IE are not near as taxing and burdensome as the Phoenix summers. I know Redlands cools down at night at least. None of that 100 degrees at midnight BS that you get in Phoenix!!!!
Yes, the southern CA weather that many of us envy is found mainly at the coastal locations. Most anywhere inland is going to have fairly warm to hot summers. And forget places like Palm Springs, which can easily be hotter than Phoenix.
Often it comes down to the cost of housing. My family and friends who live in Cal. love the weather and who doesn't. However, they bought their home over 30 years ago. I'd like to see how many stay if Prop. 13 is ever repealed.
Will they still love the climate if they have to pay an additional 18k a year in property tax?
My wife, daughter and I stayed in Phoenix June through August 2019. Honestly, we liked the temperatures. I loved it. At the time we were living in subtropical Asia, where it wasn't quite as hot, but was insanely humid. After moving back last year, we went to stay with my parents in Massachusetts. The humidity is pretty bad now, but it's better than the depressing, freezing winters. I hadn't been through one in 20 years, and damned if I'm doing it again this year. I forgot how miserable it makes me.
I'll take 110 degree Arizona heat over 35 degrees in New England or 85 in a jungle
Phoenix is fine if you have money to take vacations to get breaks from the heat. It can be miserable if you're always there, especially if you live in a dense part of Phoenix.
As for dry heat, Phoenix doesn't have a monopoly on that. It gets pretty dry here in California, too. From earlier today:
Second hottest city in ca 7 day forecast. 1st is Bakersfield, Fresno is 2nd(I don't consider palm springs to be a city, it's a resort town to me) Riverside and San Bernardino are even cooler than those two cities. There are levels to dry heat
Last edited by dontbelievehim; 07-02-2022 at 04:19 PM..
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No comparison.
