Is Summer in Tucson really that unbearable? (restaurant, shops)

[Outta_Here]

Originally Posted by Raven_on_a_Coyote

Keep in mind when I am saying this that I have lived in the very humid North Carolina for the last 15 years.

Summer for me so far has been hard, but keep in mind I have some kind of autoimmune disorder. The UV radiation is just too much for me most times. It is not so bad in the morning and evening, so it is not the heat, but sheesh, that sun is strong. I was riding my scooter for about 10 minutes in short sleeves (stupid) and I could already feel a sun burn starting. It also seems to worsen my anxiety.

The dryness makes all other times of day very pleasant for me though so I am enjoying it being 77 degrees in my apartment at night and sleeping fine.

So basically, if I see it is going to be over 95, I go out in the morning to a coffee shop at like 6:30 and get home by noon where I stay till sunset. I also wear a sunblocking long sleeve shirt all the time which helps a lot.

I miss being able to walk everywhere and even at night it is hard for me.

This weekend looks like it is going to be rough, highest temperatures in 20 years. I picked a great time to move here...

Can't wait for the winter, but I will not be living here after this year.

Well, no offense meant but I don't think you will be happy anywhere. Everywhere is a trade-off of good and not so good points. So far on this forum,I don't think I have seen a positive post from you yet.

On second thought, how about New York??? They complain about everything there, I understand. You would fit right in....

[katie45]

Sounds like you'd do well in one of the towns on the coast of SoCal. Just bring plenty of moola.

Originally Posted by Raven_on_a_Coyote

Keep in mind when I am saying this that I have lived in the very humid North Carolina for the last 15 years.

Summer for me so far has been hard, but keep in mind I have some kind of autoimmune disorder. The UV radiation is just too much for me most times. It is not so bad in the morning and evening, so it is not the heat, but sheesh, that sun is strong. I was riding my scooter for about 10 minutes in short sleeves (stupid) and I could already feel a sun burn starting. It also seems to worsen my anxiety.

The dryness makes all other times of day very pleasant for me though so I am enjoying it being 77 degrees in my apartment at night and sleeping fine.

So basically, if I see it is going to be over 95, I go out in the morning to a coffee shop at like 6:30 and get home by noon where I stay till sunset. I also wear a sunblocking long sleeve shirt all the time which helps a lot.

I miss being able to walk everywhere and even at night it is hard for me.

This weekend looks like it is going to be rough, highest temperatures in 20 years. I picked a great time to move here...

Can't wait for the winter, but I will not be living here after this year.

[duffy40]

Air conditioning is great in Tucson, but some of us (including myself) get by with an evaporative cooler... that should tell anyone that Tucson's dryness has a significant impact on the weather. If you want to be quite comfortable all the time though, A/C is a must. Anyhow, some people just don't mind the heat and DRYness. Those people, like me, come to the southwestern U.S.. As someone already mentioned we have monsoons, which run roughly from late June through early September. In my experience July is the least favorable month. More humidity moves into the area but things don't cool off much AND there is rarely as much rain in July as there is in August.

Overall though, I think Tucson is one of the best kept secrets in the United States and the weather is one of the major reasons why. If you're really into winter sports or water sports and/or you like to bundle up and feel the chill on your face of a northeastern or midwestern fall and winter, as well as being cozy inside with the heat turned up, sipping tea or hot cocoa with your favorite book or TV show, watching the snow fall out your window - then Tucson as a long term vacation destination or place to live is NOT for you. If you're interested in Tucson, you should actually like lots of sun and warmth and like doing things out of doors.

[jefffla01]

This thread has reopened and I see my post from 2010.
We have now indeed retired to the southwest and New Mexico.
We are very happy here and very much enjoying the desert southwest...we get to Tucson several times a year and love it.

[markeg]

I moved from Tampa, Fl last year to Phoenix and had my first experience with summer here in the desert.
Although very hot in both places, we don't have the gargantuan mosquitoes and bugs that Florida has, nor do we have the awful humidity, and hurricanes. When we had to evacuate our home during Hurricane Irma, not knowing if we would have a home standing when we got back was the clincher for me.
If you are busy working through the day you are inside in Air Conditioning. You just don't do outdoorsy things until it cools down in October. The rest of the year here is beautiful.

[SpringsF6B]

My only question is - in general, are the home air conditioners up to the task? I lived in Houston in the early 80s and during the summer the central air never got our home below 85. We put up light tight shades and reflective window coating. before that we couldn't get the home below 90

[elkotronics]

Your air conditioner likely wasn't enough "tons" and "seers" to handle the square footage of your home. You no doubt had a need for an HVAC company to come and give you an estimate on a new A/C system. I know this is the right answer because my wife and I are going through this right now.

We have a 22-year old RUUD air conditioner and its finally giving up the ghost.

[Saguarogirl507]

We have a 30 year old Trane brand AC sitting up on our roof and it is still going strong. We just had it looked at again this week and it is just fine. Our place stays lovely in the heat. Plus we have ceiling fans in all the rooms to keep the cool air flowing so we don't need to crank it too low.

[DeDa]

Actually if you have a good evap cooler and the humidity is low you can get the air pretty chilly. My swamper is working too well. It is 78 degrees and 31% humidity outside, but it is 62 degrees in the house. The almost 50 yr old Rheem AC has rarely been used except for the last few years when a visitor from back east was here.


I do believe the older I get, the more I appreciate the heat on my old bones!

[Roli]

This time of year in early summer you can leave windows open at night and open doors with screens on them in the morning to flood house with cold air. It's often 53 at night in May and early June. Go out in the morning when it's cool, also. Close all window and blinds at eight or eight-thirty in the morning. Then you can estivate; it's the desert version of hibernation. You retreat to a dark cave and wait for the sun to start to go down, then you reemerge at dusk. Desert animals do this. Make your house as dark as possible. I don't work in the summer so I can reopen the windows a few inches at about three and put on evap cooling (pump on an hour earlier to wet pads). We may break down and get a room air conditioner for the nights in the monsoon this year. I grew up in Tucson with only air conditioning in the house, but I actually prefer the swamp cooler in June. It certainly is way cheaper, but of course you have to maintain it. I grew up here and remember driving in cars with no air conditioning. We hardly ever went anywhere except to the swimming pool midday. Remember, light is heat! Cut the sunlight and you will cool your house. Use the cool night air in June to cool your house. Paint the roof white to cut air conditioning bills also.