Looking like Tucson this summer...some more questions (Oro Valley, Marana: apartments, city hall)

[MDCB]

Originally Posted by DawnW25

I can answer this one. Tucson is great for changing weather. I am one who does not like the sun to shine all of the time. The nice thing about Tucson is it can rain any time of the year, and there is enough cloud cover to change things up once in a while. I lived in Phoenix for two years, and there it was blue, blue, blue all the time and it got really tiresome.

It can rain anytime?

Is the difference in weather between PHX and TUC that drastic? Really?

[CH14]

Originally Posted by MDCB

It can rain anytime?

Is the difference in weather between PHX and TUC that drastic? Really?

During the summer you will notice the difference. I think once it reaches 100-105, it degree is exponentially hotter.

[MDCB]

Originally Posted by CH14

During the summer you will notice the difference. I think once it reaches 100-105, it degree is exponentially hotter.

Well per the other poster...it is blue blue blue in PHX with a little more variety in weather in TUC...as in some cloudy days...some days with rain.
But I suppose the summer is the exception? Where it really is blue blue blue-sun sun sun all the time?

[Subie2]

I wasn't talking to you Ritchie? Sorry if you thought I was attacking you, I was directing my POV to MCDB

[Subie2]

Originally Posted by MDCB

Well per the other poster...it is blue blue blue in PHX with a little more variety in weather in TUC...as in some cloudy days...some days with rain.
But I suppose the summer is the exception? Where it really is blue blue blue-sun sun sun all the time?

No, summer in some ways is awesome because big parts of it coincide with monsoon season, where you will see storm clouds usually everyday around midday, and it clears up pretty fast too. I heart monsoon season...love the smells, the clouds, the magnificent storms. Nothing like them, and they're worlds different from the Midwestern storms I grew up with. And yes, storm clouds can creep up quiet quickly...and disapear just as fast.

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by Subie2

No, summer in some ways is awesome because big parts of it coincide with monsoon season, where you will see storm clouds usually everyday around midday, and it clears up pretty fast too. I heart monsoon season...love the smells, the clouds, the magnificent storms. Nothing like them, and they're worlds different from the Midwestern storms I grew up with. And yes, storm clouds can creep up quiet quickly...and disapear just as fast.

Yeah, much as I love the (generally) great weather down there during the winter, my absolute favorite (by far) time of the year in AZ is during summer monsoon. LOVE LOVE LOVE the monsoon - for all the reasons you listed.

Ken

[Ritchie_az]

Originally Posted by MDCB

It can rain anytime?

Is the difference in weather between PHX and TUC that drastic? Really?

The airport three-letter-identifier is TUS.

TUC is the Teniente General Benjamín Matienzo International Airport in Argentina.

[DawnW25]

Originally Posted by MDCB

It can rain anytime?

Is the difference in weather between PHX and TUC that drastic? Really?

It really is. Phoenix also has monsoons, but at least during the time I was there (94-95), it never seemed to cloud up during the day. I remember driving to work in the winter there, and every single day was blue sky. It's not like that in Tucson. I grew up in a part of Southern California where it's almost never cloudy in the summer, so I really appreciate Tucson's more fluid weather. There's not a season where it's out of the ordinary to have rain. In summer we have monsoons (July-Sept), and the other seasons have their rain as well. I don't know the ratio of sun to clouds, but I know it's enough for me.

[MDCB]

Originally Posted by Ritchie_az

The airport three-letter-identifier is TUS.

TUC is the Teniente General Benjamín Matienzo International Airport in Argentina.

Thanks dude! I am a big of an airport code freak and can't believe I messed that up! Also, the Teniente General Benjamin Matienzo IA is the coolest name I have seen in a while. ha!

Originally Posted by DawnW25

It really is. Phoenix also has monsoons, but at least during the time I was there (94-95), it never seemed to cloud up during the day. I remember driving to work in the winter there, and every single day was blue sky. It's not like that in Tucson. I grew up in a part of Southern California where it's almost never cloudy in the summer, so I really appreciate Tucson's more fluid weather. There's not a season where it's out of the ordinary to have rain. In summer we have monsoons (July-Sept), and the other seasons have their rain as well. I don't know the ratio of sun to clouds, but I know it's enough for me.

Thanks Dawn! I really appreciate the review. I like that Tucson has "fluid weather." Sounds like something I could definitely be into. One of the biggest draws that Tucson has.


Here is a review from another thread...I thought it sounded like an honest Tucson review...

Originally Posted by Saltwater

I lived 3 years in Tucson, now in Virginia and thinking about moving to Oregon in a year or so..

I would not move back to Tucson or Phoenix though. The heat is something else.. Heat kicks in April and does not stop until November. June, July, August and September, essentially every day is over 99F, with max temps up to mid 110s. There is not much you can do on the desert floor during summer months unless you stay all day in the pool or drive up the Mount Lemmon (which is nice initially but grows old on you after awhile). I thought that I will love the dry hot sunny weather, but Southern Arizona heat just drains energy out of you. Oven breeze is a good description of what you will experience.

The city itself is not that exciting either, very spread out, downtown looks like ghost town and all around it empty dust lots scattered in between the garage shops, car dealerships, gas stations and 7-11. Driving Grant Blvd is a great example. There is some young crowd around the UofA campus, but rest of it is mostly white retirees from the mid-west living up north (Catalina Foothills), lots of Hispanics, lots of weirdos, lots of poverty. Crime is probably average but I was constantly irritated by the cops flying in a choppers (desert birds) shining huge search lights, night after night again.

Not much life on the streets either, just because of the spread and the heat. There are couple of city parks, but they are mostly used in winter months, and the whole idea of a park is a patch of dry grass with couple of palm trees in between.

Having said that, there are tons of hiking trails, up in the mountains which are cool temp wise year round. There is amazing natural beauty, once you live the dusty town and drive in any direction. I hiked everywhere in Catalinas, Santa Ritas, Chiricahuas, Tucson Mountains, in Ricons. I took trips to White Sands in New Mexico, to Sedona, Flagstaff, Grand Canyon, San Diego. You can also drive to Rocky Point, which is in Mexico by the Sea of Cortez. The desert sunsets are amazing, I loved watching sun going down, surrounded by cactuses in Saguaro National Park. I gradually really become to like all the desert plants: ocotillos, chollas, mesquites, 100 types of cactuses, palo verdes. The smell of creosote after a summer monsoon rain, the small bats feeding on blooming saguaros, hummingbirds..
The winters are also amazing with cold starry nights and warm sunny days with super blue sky.

There are probably as many good things as bad things. I had love-hate relationship with Tucson

If I were you I would choose Portland..

Can anyone say that this is a fair review?
Is 3 years a long time to sacrifice? I am 27, newly single, and not sure if I should move somewhere larger and progressive (which I would like) but at the expense of future career prospects. Is this the time to focus on career plans and then later move if I can?

[CH14]

MDCB- You've been at the debate now for a while with these 2 cities. Having lived in both, and you have probably found, each cities residents are loyal to their home. If I recall- you have visited both. Go with your gut. These boards offer a wide spectrum of views and I wouldn't depend on some stranger's opinion to help you decide. Both have great benefits of living there- you just need to decide what is important in the next 3 yrs. I assume as a resident your free time will be limited...keep that mind. Portland has MUCH to offer- but are you going to be able take advantage of that as much as you would like to?