My perspective on the heat here in Tucson (title, humidity)

[Mike_]

Ok, so we have had a few days of 100 degree +. Although I find this to be a matter of personal comfort/tolerance I will interject my opinion. I have been here about 6 week and am from New Hampshire. I find I have no problem with the heat, I spend most of my days in air conditioning so I decided to spend 6 hours outside in 100+ weather. I found myself comfortable, the sun was definitely beating down on me and that was what made it "feel" hot not so much the ambient air.

I did sweat although not like I would have in NH. It "felt" to me like a mid-high 80's day in NH. My conclusion is that the hot days will likely get monotonous and that will be more bothersome than the heat itself.

I am also surprised with the amount of time I have spent outdoors (without sunblock) I do not have any sunburn (I get sunburn easilly).

I hope this thought will be useful to those asking the question "is the heat in Tucson really that bad?". My answer is no, it is not.

[cacto]

High 90's/ low 100's isn't that bad, especially when it's breezy. Tucson cools off at night pretty decently.
The summer will drag but most years you get those late summer late afternoon thunderstorms which are pretty nice. You should get into the habit of wearing sunblock though.

[observer53]

Originally Posted by Mike_

Ok, so we have had a few days of 100 degree +. Although I find this to be a matter of personal comfort/tolerance I will interject my opinion. I have been here about 6 week and am from New Hampshire. I find I have no problem with the heat, I spend most of my days in air conditioning so I decided to spend 6 hours outside in 100+ weather. I found myself comfortable, the sun was definitely beating down on me and that was what made it "feel" hot not so much the ambient air.

I did sweat although not like I would have in NH. It "felt" to me like a mid-high 80's day in NH. My conclusion is that the hot days will likely get monotonous and that will be more bothersome than the heat itself.

I am also surprised with the amount of time I have spent outdoors (without sunblock) I do not have any sunburn (I get sunburn easilly).

I hope this thought will be useful to those asking the question "is the heat in Tucson really that bad?". My answer is no, it is not.

Use the sunblock... the sun here is bad for you even if you don't burn. I have no idea why you didn't, but don't push your luck.

Heat tolerance is still a very personal thing, but you are yet another of the people who found a positive difference between the more humid summers in the east (or south) and the drier heat here. Continued good luck to you!

[actinic]

Report back October 1st and let us know if your opinion has changed. As you suggested, for many it isn't bad at first but soon discover it can be monotonous. I'll add another description - relentless in how long it lasts. At least in NH you get refreshing breaks.

[cheesecurd]

Originally Posted by actinic

Report back October 1st and let us know if your opinion has changed. As you suggested, for many it isn't bad at first but soon discover it can be monotonous. I'll add another description - relentless in how long it lasts. At least in NH you get refreshing breaks.

So is this!-http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l108/matsukes/untitledhf.jpg (broken link)

[Mike_]

Yes, as I have said, it is like winter back in NH except that it is cold morning, noon, and night. Atleast here even on the hottest days you can be outside morning, noon, or night; morning and night being not so bad. In winter back in NH it is 20 degrees in the morning, 25 at noon, and 15 at night.....don't want to be out at any time of day.

[Bummer]

Makes sense to me, Mike . . .

I'll gladly take 100 plus degree temperatures with single digit humidity here over that muggy stuff "back east" any day.

One point to keep in mind . . . you probably are sweating just as much as back in New Hampshire, however, with the single digit humidity, the perspiration evaporates so much faster you rarely become "dripping wet" so keep the water bottle handy.

Unfortunately, July and August are just around the corner and our humidity will increase with the Monsoons.

[Mike_]

Bummer, yes I know about the evaporation and I do drink much more than back in NH. I never liked water but crave it more often now. Yeah the monsoons come in just as I get my motorcycle here....

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by Bummer

Makes sense to me, Mike . . .

I'll gladly take 100 plus degree temperatures with single digit humidity here over that muggy stuff "back east" any day.

One point to keep in mind . . . you probably are sweating just as much as back in New Hampshire, however, with the single digit humidity, the perspiration evaporates so much faster you rarely become "dripping wet" so keep the water bottle handy.

Unfortunately, July and August are just around the corner and our humidity will increase with the Monsoons.

Yeah, but as former East Coaster I can say with considerable certainty that even during the Monsoons the humidity is not nearly as uncomfortable as it is back East - even taking the higher temps into account.

Ken

[LordBalfor]

Originally Posted by Mike_

Bummer, yes I know about the evaporation and I do drink much more than back in NH. I never liked water but crave it more often now. Yeah the monsoons come in just as I get my motorcycle here....

Actually, in spite of the occasional higher humidty, most folks in the SW find the monsoons to be GLORIOUS (partially because they provide a change of pace from all that sun). Unlike back East - where the humidity levels stay high for long periods of time (often days) in the SW humidity usually reaches high levels in short-term spikes that happen just prior to the actual storms' arrival - and once the rain does start the temps drop to a very refreshing level - counterbalancing the rise in humidity. Afterwards, as the temps rise again the humidty drops as well.

Ken