Summer Weather: Vegas vs. Phoenix (for an ex-Vegan) (Tucson: employment, schools)

[DavidLeeCity]

Hello All,
I lived in Vegas for years, before being relo'ed to southern Florida a few years back. I may have an opportunity to move to the greater Phoenix area in about 6-12 months. I can't wait to get out of the humidity! I'd like to focus this question on just summers (approx May - Sep), and on the physical experience of the weather. Other considerations such as schools, taxes, crime, politics, housing, etc., are not the question here.

I totally enjoyed Vegas summers. Hot dry days, warm night. Temps in the 115 range in July didn't bother me. Usually some easy breezes. Rarely extremely windy but we did get the occasional "wind storm". How do Phoenix summers compare to Vegas summers? Personal experiences comparing both would be most welcome. I'd really like to hear from folks who have experienced both, not folks who just read comparative temp numbers. Living in an area is different than reading data, which takes into account subtle things not measurable.

Has anyone lived in both places? Thanks!

[Magnum Mike]

Both cities are about the same, except from late July, and the entire month of August, the monsoon season.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by DavidLeeCity

I totally enjoyed Vegas summers. Hot dry days, warm night. Temps in the 115 range in July didn't bother me. Usually some easy breezes. Rarely extremely windy but we did get the occasional "wind storm". How do Phoenix summers compare to Vegas summers? Personal experiences comparing both would be most welcome. I'd really like to hear from folks who have experienced both, not folks who just read comparative temp numbers. Living in an area is different than reading data, which takes into account subtle things not measurable.

I have never lived in Las Vegas, but I have visited there during the summer one time. The heat is very similar to Phoenix's, except Vegas is slightly cooler. Phoenix has a considerable urban heat island effect that keeps night time temperatures on the high side. Vegas has only recently begun to experience this heat island with all the growth in the past decade or so ... but Phoenix has had the heat island for a longer time because it has always been quite a bit bigger than Vegas in population.

Probably the main difference in the summer is the lack of humidity in Las Vegas ... only on occasion do they get the humidity and thunderstorms from the monsoonal flow in July & August. Most of the time it is very dry there. On average, Las Vegas receives about half of the annual rainfall that Phoenix gets. So be prepared for a little more rainfall in Phoenix during both the summer and winter months.

[sunburst2]

I would probably choose Arizona, due to the better employment outlook, and quailty of life. However your question is regarding weather. I was wrestling with the same question when I firt began to consider moving out west, but then reality set-in, and I had to realize that I'm not a retired person just yet. So I had to re-think some things, and figured Arizonza would be my best bet.

Something a wise man once told me: "GO WHERE YOUR MONEY WILL TAKE YOU". i have always kept those words in the fore-front of my mind.

Best wishes with your choice.

[Kris000]

I'm the opposite of Valley Native- live in Vegas, but have visited Phoenix once during summer. It's very similar, but felt about 5 degrees hotter in Phoenix. If you enjoyed Vegas summers, I think you will be fine in Phoenix.

[DavidLeeCity]

Thanks all. My next question, based on several of the above replies: you all are right, Vegas rarely gets rain in the summers. So rarely I never had to plan around it. I guess Phoenix gets more, something I had not really thought about. What is the monsoon season like? Is it like southern Florida where it rains pretty much every day between 2-5 PM, and sometimes well into the eve? Or is it more like: you will get the occasional dramatic rain storm (say, once a week or so)?

[las vegas drunk]

Phoenix is greener with more humidity. It is also hotter. I have a car with no AC and do just fine in Vegas. However, I could not do that in Phoenix. Vegas has a a better summer hands down. The opposite is true come winter. Phoenix has a noticeably nicer and warmer winter.

[Valley Native]

Originally Posted by DavidLeeCity

Thanks all. My next question, based on several of the above replies: you all are right, Vegas rarely gets rain in the summers. So rarely I never had to plan around it. I guess Phoenix gets more, something I had not really thought about. What is the monsoon season like? Is it like southern Florida where it rains pretty much every day between 2-5 PM, and sometimes well into the eve? Or is it more like: you will get the occasional dramatic rain storm (say, once a week or so)?

Our so called "summer monsoon" is NOTHING like the rain & humidity of south Florida. In fact, the monsoon's impact is felt more in Tucson and eastern Arizona than in the Phoenix area. Only once every few years does the Phoenix metro area experience a true rainy summer. Most of the time, the storms are hit & miss ... they often strike the outskirts & some of the suburban areas, but the majority of the city just gets some wind, a rumble of thunder, and a few sprinkles. The dramatic rain events only happen about once or twice every summer here ... and even then, not everywhere in the Valley will get rain. The chief rainy season here is winter (December through March).

Even so, we still receive more rain on average than Las Vegas in both the summer and winter seasons. Vegas is protected by some very high mountain ranges which tend to have a blocking effect on incoming Pacific storms. Plus, Vegas is far enough west to escape much of the summer monsoon storms.