What are some myths about Phoenix weather? (Chandler, Queen Creek: living, restaurants)

[SkyLark2019]

It's not as terrible as people say. Nana retired there and days were nice and moderate when we would visit.

[singlegirlinaz]

We're discussing how hot it is in the summer but it's cold now and summer seems a long way off.

Parts of the Phoenix valley had snow last night. Looking east, I see snow on top of the Mcdowell Mountains. That sure doesn't happen very often.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by Maroon197

This is literally a thread about challenging weather myths. You’re perpetuating them by downplaying how extreme the summer climate is. This is the hottest major city in North America, with one of the most extreme climates on earth. You being able to tolerate the summers from your air conditioned living room doesn’t mean that summers aren’t bad. It means you’ve adapted your lifestyle to try to get through the misery as best you can. That’s what people do during extreme weather. It’s beyond goofy for you and others to continue acting like 98 degrees in the middle of the night for months on end is no big deal. That is life altering weather that doesn’t let up or provide any breaks.

And fwiw, I never once in all my years in the northeast and chicago heard anybody downplay the severity of winter. People were very matter of fact about the reality of the situation. Extreme Weather delusion seems to be a Phoenix specialty for some reason, and is likely a contributing factor in many of the tragic and preventable Phoenix hiking deaths every the summer.

A hot summer is far less impactful on most daily life activities than a cold, dreary, damp, and depressing extended winter with large storms that knock out power, cripple infrastructure and close businesses.


If you haven't tried that life, give it a go. It's not fun and severe storms, freak weather is only getting more pronounced as time goes on.

[OUgrad09]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

So there is something of a myth right there. Jumping in a pool in summer does not cool you off. The water is lukewarm near body temperature. It is the stepping out into 110 degrees that cools - in fact feels unpleasantly cold.

The orientation of your house and pool is also important. If the pool/backyard been exposed to the sun all day, the water is going to feel much warmer than if your house is shading the pool for most of the day. Important factors to consider when doing house hunting.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

When I came back to MN from vacation in January, I would look down from the plane and see the snow and ice. I would question my intelligence for living in a frozen tundra. But, I dealt with it. But it wasn't easy converting from warm Cancun waters and jumping back into a high of 15 degrees real temp. It was actually easier not to leave.

I really don't know who would enjoy a Minnesota winter, other than ice fishermen & snow equipment retailers. Here's what a lot of people overlook, however: as miserable as those winters can be, all that snow & ice produces a long term benefit. Why is Minnesota the land of 10,000 lakes, and why are most of the Midwestern & Eastern states lush & green with plentiful water supplies? We keep hearing how Phoenix's hot summers are easier to deal with ("we don't have to shovel sunshine", "it's a dry heat", etc.), but I really can't think of any long term environmental benefit to our summer heat. If anything, it can be a detriment in the form of drought, fires, etc.

Look at all the snow northern AZ has received this winter. I'm sure people in Flagstaff are tired of being buried in several feet of snow & digging out, but the benefits outweigh the inconveniences in the big picture. Because of all the snowpack, the short term drought has eased, and it appears that we're going to actually have an excess of runoff this spring, which will certainly help with the water supply in the reservoirs. It could also reduce the risk for wildfires.

[badbob85037]

I get a kick of these people saying Phoenix isn't that hot. Those people jump in their air conditioned car and drive to their air conditioned office.

[KO Stradivarius]

NEWSFLASH: People are not the same. Stop trying to tell others that your opinion is correct and theirs isn't. If they say it isn't that bad and they don't consider it that hot (for them), they are right. If they say it's too hot (for them), they are correct too. I don't understand why someone would complain about it and still live here, but to each his own.

The myths are created when someone tries to change the minds of others. People are too eager to call themselves an authority, and see things as black and white, failing to see the nuances (shades of gray) that exist.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

I really don't know who would enjoy a Minnesota winter, other than ice fishermen & snow equipment retailers. Here's what a lot of people overlook, however: as miserable as those winters can be, all that snow & ice produces a long-term benefit. Why is Minnesota the land of 10,000 lakes, and why are most of the Midwestern & Eastern states lush & green with plentiful water supplies?

I know a lot of people who really love the snow. The cold literally doesn't bother them very much. I know a lot of snowmobilers. And now, many others like to use their side-by-sides like the Polaris General. The barhop and hang out. Our lake has "golf on ice", a classic snowmobile run, motorcycling ice track raising etc. Of course, ice fishing too. After that, they go to indoor water parks, indoor shopping, indoor hockey, etc. Most, are perfectly happy living indoors in the heat. Just as many people from AZ don't mind living inside of air conditioning during the summer.

MN has 10,000 lakes because the melted glaciers dug deep into the landscape as they receded. Now, the water and streams fill up the lakes 1st, versus going from streams to large rivers like much of Iowa, the Dakotas, etc. The rain via streams and rivers keeps the glacier-dug holes filled.

As I said, when you have rain, you have ruined wet days, clouds, and bugs. Hang out by the water cooler on Monday when you finally have a back-to-back perfect weather weekend. Everyone is talking about how amazing the weather was because they finally had 2 days of perfect weekend weather! In PHX from October to early May, you expect the weekend to be near perfect because normally, the weather is much more predictable.

Don't underestimate the bugs when it is lush and green. We hire a spray company for $400 a month or when a big batch hatches, the mosquitos will absolutely ruin your evenings. It's not nearly as bad in the Cities. Where we live, when the rain sits from too much rain and a batch hatches, you cannot stay out in the yard without the highest concentration of stinky DEET mosquito spray.

1st, you get a big batch of May Fies, then the June bugs, followed by gnats, and then wave after wave of mosquitoes. Then, the dragonflies come to the rescue in mid-summer but they also arrive by the thousands. After my yard is mowed, I can see several hundred dragonflies following the lard mower. Those can hurt when you hit them if you are boating too fast. You might get a year of moths too that eat thousands of tree leaves. In the fall, wasps, Boxelders, hornets, and Lady Asian beetles come out in force. As I stated before, drive for an hour at dusk and your car will be pelted by hundreds of hard-to-remove bugs. If they are bad and you drive for 2 hours during dusk, expect a few thousand bugs on your car.

Sure, it is green. But that means rain and clouds. Pick your trade-off. I'd MUCH rather live in the PNW over the summer. In the PNW, there are not a lot of bugs, it's (ever)green, with mountains, waterways, seafood, and a plethora of outdoor activities.

[locolife]

Originally Posted by Valley Native

I really don't know who would enjoy a Minnesota winter, other than ice fishermen & snow equipment retailers. Here's what a lot of people overlook, however: as miserable as those winters can be, all that snow & ice produces a long term benefit. Why is Minnesota the land of 10,000 lakes, and why are most of the Midwestern & Eastern states lush & green with plentiful water supplies? We keep hearing how Phoenix's hot summers are easier to deal with ("we don't have to shovel sunshine", "it's a dry heat", etc.), but I really can't think of any long term environmental benefit to our summer heat. If anything, it can be a detriment in the form of drought, fires, etc.

Look at all the snow northern AZ has received this winter. I'm sure people in Flagstaff are tired of being buried in several feet of snow & digging out, but the benefits outweigh the inconveniences in the big picture. Because of all the snowpack, the short term drought has eased, and it appears that we're going to actually have an excess of runoff this spring, which will certainly help with the water supply in the reservoirs. It could also reduce the risk for wildfires.

People in the midwest and east to think about water supply, snowfall isn't nearly as important to their water sources and in many areas the issue is too much water not enough. Like who really needs 10,000 lakes?

What it creates is issues with bugs, swamps, flooded basements, mold, etc... Too much of anything is never a good thing.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

I know a lot of people who really love the snow. The cold literally doesn't bother them very much. I know a lot of snowmobilers. And now, many others like to use their side-by-sides like the Polaris General. The barhop and hang out. Our lake has "golf on ice", a classic snowmobile run, motorcycling ice track raising etc. Of course, ice fishing too. After that, they go to indoor water parks, indoor shopping, indoor hockey, etc. Most, are perfectly happy living indoors in the heat. Just as many people from AZ don't mind living inside of air conditioning during the summer.

I've never experienced a Minnesota winter (and really don't care to), but the points you made about people in that region enjoying what the winters have to offer are very true. I didn't know that indoor water parks actually existed there. In any case, it really goes back to what I said about how weather/climate can be easily mitigated. Despite all the images of bleak, cold winters in Minnesota & elsewhere, there are many who live there & make the most out of it, tolerate it, keep busy, and don't feel like they have to go to to AZ or FL for an entire winter.

Originally Posted by MN-Born-n-Raised

Sure, it is green. But that means rain and clouds. Pick your trade-off. I'd MUCH rather live in the PNW over the summer. In the PNW, there are not a lot of bugs, it's (ever)green, with mountains, waterways, seafood, and a plethora of outdoor activities.

I'm definitely in agreement here. In fact, I recently made that region (northern Idaho) my early summer vacation destination. There are bugs, but not enough to prevent enjoying the outdoors. It actually rains there in the early summer ... not excessively, but enough to dampen the soils, keep the temperatures relatively cool, and the air fresh & clean. All the snow in the winter contributes to why it's so green in the spring & much of the summer, and why there is an abundance of waterways/fishing. To my earlier point: these are benefits to a region. All the snow in CA & AZ this winter will serve as a huge benefit, which was severely lacking in recent winters. But our blazing summer heat: what does that offer? I can't think of anything beneficial to that.