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The entire southerly/southeasterly wind flow this time of year is known as the monsoon ... even in Utah. It's really known as the Mexican Monsoon, but since the moisture flows northward, it affects all the states which border Mexico in one way or another. The moisture flow becomes more marginal as it continues to flow northward ... and that's why Utah & Nevada usually receive less of its effect than SE Arizona does.
Many TV weather people aren't true meteorologists. You'll find out how much they really know when they refer to "monsoon" as a single storm, or a rainy period ... when it's really no more than a seasonal wind reversal. It just happens to bring more rain to some parts ... but other areas (such as SW Arizona) hardly see a trace of rain all summer.
Thanks for the monsoonal education. I always thought the meteorologists were referring to the rain/moisture and not the winds. We get monsoonal moisture here in Utah. Southern Utah has been experiencing flooding because of it. I wish more would make its way north.
Me too! The summer is just too dry here. It's so nice when we get monsoon moisture up here.
I knew that the monsoon was just a wind shift, but the TV weathermen, at least here, usually get it right when it comes to the monsoon. However, the associated wind shift does contribute to increased moisture. The monsoon "officially" starts in Phoenix when the dewpoint reaches a certain point for a certain number of days in a row (can't remember either of the specifics).
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Originally Posted by Valley Native
Well, if you're referring to which place has the best climate, I'd say none of the above. San Diego has the best climate in the nation as far as I'm concerned.
San Diego is a very popular retreat for many Phoenicians during the summer months ... mainly because San Diego temps remain in the 70s most of the summer, while Phoenix is over 100 degrees practically every day from late May to early October. Talk about boring!
San Diego isn't boring when you consider the many beaches & tourist attractions they have to offer. And climatically, their winters are very similar to Phoenix's (mild, temps in the 60s & 70s, and some rain).
Been pretty rainy in the afternoon and evenings (as is usual this time of year) and muggy as can be for our area. We had some pretty decent storms come through early evening and then again near the midnight hour last night and expecting a repeat again tonight.
I see, is the median price of housing much less out in Buckeye or up in Cave Creek? On Google Earth the drive time from Cave Creek to downtown Phoenix is 45 minutes, but I am assuming that is wrong, how long would it really take? So Cave Creeks climate is comprable to say Tucson?
Buckeye is a little bit lower than the median price, but Cave Creek is higher.
I know, lol. When I heard El Paso is too humid I was stunned. One day I saw El Paso was currently 87 F with 4% humidity. The dewpoint was like -17 F. Granted that was probably in spring, not summer... But still!
Being from the Great Lakes, I have almost never ever felt humidity below 20% outdoors.
Desert dwellers: What do you consider the minimum definition for what's muggy summer weather and what's not?
I know, lol. When I heard El Paso is too humid I was stunned. One day I saw El Paso was currently 87 F with 4% humidity. The dewpoint was like -17 F. Granted that was probably in spring, not summer... But still!
Being from the Great Lakes, I have almost never ever felt humidity below 20% outdoors.
Desert dwellers: What do you consider the minimum definition for what's muggy summer weather and what's not?
When I lived in New Jersey whenever the temperature was above 87 or 88 and the dewpoint was around 70 degrees I started to get uncomfortable. When I first moved to Arizona the dewpoint was regulargly in the upper single digits or lower teens with temperature in the 90's and low 100's. At the monsoon's approach I noticed that I started feeling uncomfortable at 100 degrees with a 48 degree dewpoint. Now the dewpoint has been consistently over 60 degrees, many times around 70, combined with temperatures in the low 100's, making for extremely uncomfortable times.
I know, lol. When I heard El Paso is too humid I was stunned. One day I saw El Paso was currently 87 F with 4% humidity. The dewpoint was like -17 F. Granted that was probably in spring, not summer... But still!
Being from the Great Lakes, I have almost never ever felt humidity below 20% outdoors.
Desert dwellers: What do you consider the minimum definition for what's muggy summer weather and what's not?
Here, it usually gets muggy for me when the dewpoint reaches 60 degrees (this is also about the time the swamp coolers become useless), which I know is average for most of the Midwest and East in summer. It rarely gets above 65 here. I couldn't even imagine 95 degrees with a 70-degree dewpoint.
However, the humidity doesn't get as consistently high as it does in Phoenix. A lot of people underestimate how humid Phoenix can get during monsoon season.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Valley Native
San Diego is a very popular retreat for many Phoenicians during the summer months ... mainly because San Diego temps remain in the 70s most of the summer, while Phoenix is over 100 degrees practically every day from late May to early October. Talk about boring!
San Diego isn't boring when you consider the many beaches & tourist attractions they have to offer. And climatically, their winters are very similar to Phoenix's (mild, temps in the 60s & 70s, and some rain).
Oh, I never said San Diego itself is boring, and taking a retreat there during summer for a few days would actually be nice (70's in summer? I'll take that any day!). But I would never enjoy the climate if I lived there. It's dry almost all the time and the temperatures don't change much at all. The average high temperature varies by just 10 degrees the whole year (65 degrees to 75 degrees)! Here the average highs vary by about 60 degrees during the year (35 degrees to 95 degrees).
Here, it usually gets muggy for me when the dewpoint reaches 60 degrees (this is also about the time the swamp coolers become useless), which I know is average for most of the Midwest and East in summer. It rarely gets above 65 here.
I couldn't even imagine 95 degrees with a 70-degree dewpoint.
However, the humidity doesn't get as consistently high as it does in Phoenix. A lot of people underestimate how humid Phoenix can get during monsoon season.
I would tend to agree with that.
Up here near the Great Lakes, our warm dry summer weather that we get from time to time happens when the dewpoint is in the 40's and 50's.
Our regular warm and somewhat sticky days when the dewpoint is around the high 50's to mid 60's.
Our very sticky, often hot days that we get once in a while have dewpoints from the high 60's, into the 70's and during a freak heat wave into the low 80's occaisionally.
*95 F with a dewpoint of 70 F doesn't feel damp, it feels like puddles will dry with some quickness, probably humidity around 40%, however the air feels kind of thick and almost creamy.
Never been to Phoenix... I'd have never guessed they regularly got dewpoints above 70 F in summer.
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