Summer temp question

[beckyinaz]

They're not kidding about the concrete making the heat worse - I've gone for walks at night and most homes here have concrete fencing, and you can FEEL the heat radiating from those concrete block fences! And when you are driving and hit a large open area, it's amazing to see the temperature drop on the thermostat gauge in the car... Then you hit a subdivision of homes and it goes right back up.

[miamiman]

Originally Posted by stilldirrty

You're right, to an extent. But that isn't exactly right.
Phoenix/Tucson area (Or the whole Southern Arizona) Is mostly located in the Low Desert region. For example Las Vegas get's high's of Phoenix and sunshine. But it tends to cool down in the night because its in the high desert area.

Because Phoenix is in the low desert it is why it doesn't cool down as much (Add that to the already very hot temps!)

Tucson and Southern Arizona are NOT in the low desert. Most of Southern Arizona isn't even technically in a desert. They receive too much rain. Tucson is a full 1300 feet higher than Phoenix, and most towns and cities in Southern Arizona are at 4500 feet or higher. Las Vegas is almost as high as Tucson, and would not be classified as being a low desert either.

During the summer, Tucson cools down MUCH more at night than Phoenix. Tucson had 2 nights last summer where the overnight temperature was 80 or above. Phoenix had 72 nights with low temperatures 80 or above. Enough said.

The reason Phoenix doesn't cool down more at night is massive urbanization, not because it's in a low desert. Next to New York, Phoenix might have the most exaggerated heat island effect in the country.

[observer53]

Well, if the "rain" part of the definition of "desert" is less than 10 inches a year, Phoenix qualifies. I think it is a real stretch to say Phoenix is not "even technically in a desert". Other areas of southern Arizona are in fact quite a bit higher (although places like Benson and Nogales are more in the 3500 foot range, not 4500), and I don't know their rainfall figures, so I'll give you that one.

The massive urbanization is, in fact, the cause of the high nighttime temps. If you go not that far out of Phoenix, without much or any change in elevation, the nights are cooler.

[Serena123]

When I lived in Phoenix, August hit 118 degrees for a few days. But as others have said, it does cool down in the evening.

[Captain Bill]

It's so hot in Phoenix that:

• birds have to use potholders to pull worms out of the ground.
• potatoes cook underground, and all you have to do to have lunch is to pull one out and add butter, salt and pepper.
• farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying hard-boiled eggs.
• cows are giving evaporated milk.
• trees are whistling for the dogs.
• you eat hot chilies to cool your mouth off.

Just kiddin'. It's really a "dry heat"

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

It's so hot in Phoenix that:

• birds have to use potholders to pull worms out of the ground.
• potatoes cook underground, and all you have to do to have lunch is to pull one out and add butter, salt and pepper.
• farmers are feeding their chickens crushed ice to keep them from laying hard-boiled eggs.
• cows are giving evaporated milk.
• trees are whistling for the dogs.
• you eat hot chilies to cool your mouth off.

Just kiddin'. It's really a "dry heat"

This is great! I'm doing a copy and paste!