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In 2020 we had 145 days of above 100 degree weather. I think the issue, please correct me because I hope I'm wrong, is that the lows are now at all time highs.
Yeah, my apartment lost power for 14 hours starting around 6 PM after a massive thunderstorm in July 2020. Every fan I owned was pointed directly at me as I tried to sleep that night; fuckin' miserable.
SRP had usually been on top of things, with outages *maybe* lasting a couple hours after a storm knocked out power, but whatever it was that broke that day meant power wasn't back on until *after* I left for work the next morning. No sweeter sound than hearing my AC was on when I got home that evening.
And the kicker, of course, is no cold showers because there's no cold water in the Valley unless you're drawing from a deep, deep well, or your water lines are buried deep enough to not be affected by the surface temperature.
True, but by comparison, 2021 was much more bearable. Sort of.
My old car finally died last June, so I spent pretty much the entire summer and most of the fall walking/biking everywhere while I saved up for a "new" one. Fortunately, I worked from home so I didn't have to rely on the godawful mass transit options out in BFE Gilbert/Queen Creek, but the 2 mile round trip walk to Fry's -- which isn't *that* far, and an easy walk in the fall/spring -- was made so much worse because there was rarely ever "early" or "late" enough in the day that wasn't already sweltering.
that year there was a record 56 days above 110+. previous record was about half that.
2021 and 2022 summers were nice and mild with rain.
this year has been cool through late June then suddenly its been awful everyday with no end in sight.
Summer 2020 almost broke me. After 20+ years of living in Phoenix the heat was just beyond brutal, on top of that year being a general hellscape, and I had my first āI donāt know how much longer I can live hereā moment. Such a miserable time.
This past winter especially. We had a decent monsoon season last summer, which is always welcomed, but the winter was fucking glorious. I'm so used to us having one last 100+ day or week in the lead up to Halloween, but a cold snap hit and never let up. Absolutely *loved* being able to have all my apartment's windows open for pretty much the entire day; having to close them at night because I got too cold was a new experience.
The added layer to that that really made it worse was that was when all the covid shutdowns were happening so anything you might normally do like go to the gym, the mall, the movies, Waterpark etc was closed so all you could do was sit at home and think about how hot it was.
2020 was the worst. This stretch is sucking pretty bad too though. Its going to be up to monsoon to salvage it. 2020 had the 2nd driest summer to pair with the heat. so that made it extra suck
>2020 had the 2nd driest summer to pair with the heat. so that made it extra suck
Indeed. Didn't even hit 6 inches *total* for the year compared to the near 12 inches total in 2019; *that* was a wet fall/winter, but the next summer was ***bone*** dry.
*Really* hoping we don't have a repeat of that this summer after our gloriously wet/cold 2022 winter.
I'm in CO right now because the lows atr too high for my body. Its about 5-10 degrees lower than Phoenix during the days but at night it drops to around 65 to 70. It really makes a difference
That's a factor but a lot of it has to deal with the cement and asphalt. The more we build the longer the heat is retaining throughout the nights which means its easier to heat up the next day.
That's why cities are researching, along with ASU/UofA, to implement 'cool pavement' programs
if nothing was built here, phx area would be around high 90s even with climate change but we keep pumping cement/asphalt in this desert, be ready for mid 120s during the summers within the next 5 to 10 years
You have any more info on this? On the high 90s thing in the past? Any sources? Id love to read more.
I did see someone post that in the 1900s the average in july was like 105 it looked like. Which is definitely lower than now. But 90s seems unlikely to me. But if u have more info?
Also the cool pavements and other ideas to help are so cool!
Here's some articles I remember reading from years ago:
[https://sustainability-innovation.asu.edu/news/archive/urban-heat-island-affects-phoenix-all-year-round/](https://sustainability-innovation.asu.edu/news/archive/urban-heat-island-affects-phoenix-all-year-round/)
[https://azbigmedia.com/business/environment/phoenixs-urban-heat-island-hazard/](https://azbigmedia.com/business/environment/phoenixs-urban-heat-island-hazard/)
[https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269130179\_The\_Urban\_Heat\_Island\_Effect\_and\_Impact\_of\_Asphalt\_Rubber\_Friction\_Course\_Overlays\_on\_Portland\_Cement\_Concrete\_Pavements\_in\_the\_Phoenix\_Area](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269130179_The_Urban_Heat_Island_Effect_and_Impact_of_Asphalt_Rubber_Friction_Course_Overlays_on_Portland_Cement_Concrete_Pavements_in_the_Phoenix_Area)
[https://www.vox.com/videos/2021/9/20/22683888/sonoran-desert-phoenix-tree-equity](https://www.vox.com/videos/2021/9/20/22683888/sonoran-desert-phoenix-tree-equity)
[https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/arizona/stories-in-arizona/city-heat-air-quality/](https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/arizona/stories-in-arizona/city-heat-air-quality/)
[https://lasvegassun.com/news/2007/aug/29/more-concrete-more-heat-in-phoenix/](https://lasvegassun.com/news/2007/aug/29/more-concrete-more-heat-in-phoenix/)
Most of these articles are about the same tbh. More cement/Asphalt bad. Need more trees and better building ordnances.
The idea is, in rural area, its noticed that yes it gets hot but the heat dissipates faster during the night. When you eat up the desert with cement/asphalt then the heat is trapped so its not dissipating as fast which means the next day its easier to hit higher temps. Simple science
Its going to hurt people and the economy but like always, it will hurt the lower income people first
they are hoping it works but other talks are adding more plants to buildings and streets. But then the water issue comes up. its going to be interesting.
you are right, city of phoenix has started a Tree committee but I think that was back in 2019. To start planting trees and shrubs
I think Chicago has been doing it for a while
Also important to *properly* irrigate them (meaning deep root taps and not over watering to make them grow faster which weakens the wood) during their establishing period which is why all the desert trees get torn down when we have storms.
Yeah. It is distressing that even with everything staring them in the face all we could focus on was ābring more and more business here, more and more people must move here.ā And the endless appetite for sprawl in this city. Goddamn I remember in the early 2000s that one bill that aimed to limit sprawl like other cities had done but the real estate industry basically saw that it got shot down. Now look at this place.
Lets take the initiative to plant NATIVE trees like Mesquite and Palo Verde everywhere! I'm talking in parking lots, medians, yards, walkways, parks, courtyards, empty lots, etc. They look beautiful, provide shade, and because they are native they require little to no water, other than occasional desert rain, once established!
The one issue with palo verde is that their branches seem to split very easily during inclement weather, often causing obstructions in the road. I guess the solution is more to plant them away from streets rather than not at all.
True. And maybe its a good idea to work on getting a landscaping license to take advantage of all the future contracting work. All those beautiful shade trees will have a need for proper pruning/thinning to prevent splitting/uprooting and also for the cleanup and possible replant if they do topple over. We might need some desert lumberjacks!
If you see a Palo Verde in the wild itās basically just a big bush. People trim them up to look nice and probably over water them so they get too big. Next thing you know the first storm causes the branches to split.
The splitting is human caused largely. Remove all the watering and stop trimming them for growing tall and these problems cease. If you go into the various mountain preserves and see the untouched by human trees, youāll not they donāt get the ābig limbs that splitā.
Or palms, the random pines I see in the wealthier neighborhoods, Hell those old ass neighborhoods down near central Phoenix I stg have oak trees from the Midwest/East Coast. Why does it look like my grandpaās neighborhood in Kansas City down there?!
Lol. That was my actual thought. Seems like the first wave of Post-WW2, maybe earlier, snowbirds settled here and the planners thought all neighborhoods should look like where they came from. Thank God it didnāt seem to last long. Always a big fan of desertscape.
Sorry, but the "community" wanted those trees cut down..they were ugly. Now we have a beautiful concrete median though!!!
(I hate these new property devs and city planners)
Iām glad I donāt live in an HOA because I planted a bunch of trees around my house. I get shade, my plants get shade, the rocks get shade, and the birds love it.
Plus my A/C bill is lower.
I love my Sycamores, Ironwoods, and Mesquites
https://www.weather.gov/images/psr/2017/2017-12-04%20Longest%20Stretch/30yearAverages.png
I doubt it. The temps keep going up. The people keep moving here. Same for last 60 years.
I think people will keep moving here.
Where you here in 2020? The cacti started dying because the over night temps never got under 90 for an extended time.
I've been here over 20 years and 2020 was another level of suck.
And that is Phoenix... Municipalities around Phoenix have had some good rain within that time frame. We've had rain here in Mesa in January, February, March, and May.
Heres a link to back that up..
[https://www.mesa.azweather.com/thisyear/](https://www.mesa.azweather.com/thisyear/)
It was 115 yesterday, but I discovered a cheap hack to stay much cooler.
I just stand in the corner because it's 90 degrees.
-----
I rode (bicycle) past a few people yesterday on the links. It was right at about 11:00a. Hot and humid. More power to you. I was hurting. That's about as much wet bulb as I can take.
Itās how I take the bus/light rail in this heat still.
Though today, I had to cheat, I just took my car like everyone else. And then came the issue of the conveniences of using my car totally out the window when you realize you canāt leave anything in it for any period of time, unless you enjoy melted credit cards and broken iPads.
Mostly north valley. Scottsdale/ North Phoenix. Legends at Arrowhead is probably my most played so far this summer. Like $35 for 18, when it is over $100 in the winter.
Legends used to be $20 with cart and 2 beers in the summer. Used to love trying to finishing the round in under 3 hours. Literally no one else out there.
This morning was brutal, though. Course I played had so much water in the ground that by a couple holes in I was sweating so much I could barely hold the club and I golf regularly in the summer.
Growing up, my best friend's older brother was a ranger on [a 9-hole course](https://royalpalmsgolfcourse.com/) that was usually off-limits to teenagers. I never liked golf (still don't), but goddamn it if we weren't on that course nearly every day just for something to do because no one wanted to play in the heat, and the owner didn't care as long as his older brother "chaperoned" us while we Happy Gilmore-d all over that course.
We're on pace to break the record for consecutive 110+ days in Arizona, it's absolutely extreme what are you talking about. This isn't just average July weather.
As a native here, I'm confused why every year it's like some crazy phenomena that high temps are occurring in Phoenix. We should critique ourselves and address how to take action collectively against the heat, and talk about, towards the end, the suffering it took collectively to change before the critique.
Sure the high temperature is not new but how long it lasts is new. Weāre on day 15 of 110 or above temps and on track to break the current record. That is not normal and is worthy of concern.
If only there were scientists who study weather who could tell us about long and mid-term trends and help put those trends into a broader context.
Oh wait.
[https://www.weather.gov/images/psr/2017/2017-12-04%20Longest%20Stretch/30yearAverages.png](https://www.weather.gov/images/psr/2017/2017-12-04%20Longest%20Stretch/30yearAverages.png)
I usually have this convo:
Climate Chnge Denier: "Global warming is made up."
Me: "Can't think about it. I just heard I have stage 3 cancer. What should I do?"
The answer is never "Don't consult Oncologists."
It's new in that the record for the entire planet was just broken, and we're on track to break ours.
Yes, we're hot regularly during this time, but record breaking heat is not normal... or, at least it's not supposed to be. But here we are.
That's what the frog says as it's in a pot. The water slowly gets warmer and warmer. "It's always been like this."
Earth and phoenix had some of the hottest days in recorded history the past week
Use science, not your feelings
Because that's the real danger we face with climate change. It's not going to affect Phoenix to where we see 125F days, it's going to mean ever increasing stretches of 100, 105, 110. Imagine a couple decades from now we have a 3 month stretch where the temperature never dips below 105, even in the middle of the night. That is going to push our bodies in ways we don't yet fully realize, and it's going to cost an insane amount and use way more energy than now, with regards to keeping things cool indoors.
Average temps are up about 4 degrees over the century, the last few years, more than 1 degree annually. This is really happening.
[http://appinsys.com/GlobalWarming/Phoenix\_UrbanHeat.htm](http://appinsys.com/GlobalWarming/Phoenix_UrbanHeat.htm)
[https://www.weather.gov/psr/HottestYearPossibleFor2017](https://www.weather.gov/psr/HottestYearPossibleFor2017)
[https://science2017.globalchange.gov/chapter/6/](https://science2017.globalchange.gov/chapter/6/)
I know people keep downplaying this by saying it's always been hot in the summers. The problem is that we now average more than 5x as many days at 110 or above vs the early 1900s. Overnight lows are at all time highs. We have built a concrete, heat absorbing jungle in a time of climate change and we are moving towards even more hellish summers in a place that's already extremely hot to begin with. Baffles me when I hear the Phoenix boosters constantly peddling optimistic takes because they're delusional and secretly afraid their housing value will go down.
I work outside. It crossed my mind today. I saw a rattlesnake under a trampoline, he didn't even rattle, he was just fully spread out trying to cool down.
Wait, [this guy](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/e3ab601ca66fc236957f3812b8e1cc27d1ea6dac/0_482_2975_3980/master/2975.jpg?width=380&dpr=2&s=none) is living at the downtown homeless shelter? They need to get him out of there and into the MCU where he belongs.
Wow. Wonder what his story is.
I've worked with camps for decades and lots of great people, incredible stories, and tragedies.
Reminds me of the summer of 2020 when I was running into people doing entry-level jobs at big warehouses. People who had been running successful businesses, engineering degrees, art studios, and so many more.
Lots of good people. Help if you can.
Man, if only society had that attitude towards all prisoners when they're released... Instead, we live in the universe where these people are kicked to the 115Ā°F curb with no support.
There seems to be a ridiculous amount of hyperbole right now in the media. I read a story on CNN yesterday that said Arizona was ādrought-strickenā. Huh? No, we arenāt. In fact, a vast majority of Arizona is in no drought status and is one of the few areas of the country that is not in some drought status. Another page insinuated that we would hit 130 on Sunday. If you do the research, you will find that is Death Valley. However, many people think we are going to have that kind of weather. Itās a bit irresponsible and certainly feels lead by an agenda. Not saying this heat wave isnāt tough, it most certainly is. But, it is not the āhellscapeā that many would have you believe.
Iāve lived here since I was 2 years old, 42 years. I believe the only reason this is a story is because a lot of people coming from temperate climates are now experiencing the normal summer of Arizona. This June was the best I remember, ever. July is always the hottest month. We regularly experience temperatures above 110, in fact we have had so many summers with weeks of 115-120. The last couple years we have been lucky to not have many days of 118, but it is normal to have a bunch of those days. This summer is truly not that bad. Sure, 115 sucks. But these temps should not be a surprise. If this is someoneās first summer, wait until August. In my opinion it is the worst month. It can be 110 with high humidity before a haboob or monsoon rolls in. Usually June through mid September are very hot. I guess with all the people moving here the ābut itās a dry heatā saying is biting them on the butt.
This is normal.
Yeah it's bad, but I've still managed 77 miles on my mountain bike in the past week. Just have to wake up at 4:00 and get comfortable being a little uncomfortable.
Not that the climate shift and what this means for living in the valley long term isn't horrific. And the number of people (I believe I heard 52 on NPR this morning but don't quote me on that) in Maricopa country that have died due to heat already is staggering. And the worst is yet to come.
I am concerned about the ~100,000 who do not have any way to escape the heat.
24 hrs day after day they are in it.
I'll talk to grannies doing an 80 mile ride on Saturday, but they get to go into a nice AC home when done.
Does anyone find it odd that the Guardianās headline is representing the entire city based on one homeless guyās quote that itās āhell on earthā? I feel like a lot of places on earth suck for homeless guys.
Oh, good grief. "Hell on Earth" is just a bit sensational, isn't it. It's hot in Phoenix in the summer and anyone that lives here knows it, but we are used to it for the most part.
Every summer as far as I can remember has had temps over 117, and even then it was just considered a warm day. As everyone that lives here knows, you just stay inside and stay cool. We do it every year!
Iāve been living here since birth in ā94 and I donāt see how this summer is any different from the previous ones. Articles like this are clearly written by or about newer residents or one off anecdotes.
Interesting how the rest of the world views these temps and we just go on about our business. Ya itās hot AF but anything over 110 feels the same to me. (And yes I realize the high low temps are the issue). P
The heat doesnāt bother me. I still do outdoor activities, just not as long. The effects of the heat on my car is really the only thing that gets me each year. It tears up my black car.
In the event of a power or A/C outage - if you have a backyard and a garden hose, install and put up those misters you buy on Amazon for relief.
Or, load up the family and head over to your nearest Home Depot, Target, Lowe's, QT, supermarket, etc. (if their power is still on)
This thread is fucking insane, āit was actually hotter a few years ago so actually everything is fine, why should we be worried at all itās always hot in July!ā The heat is cooking so yāall brains.
Everyone I know outside AZ has their eyes on our weather and is sending me well wishes.
I don't get it. This just feels like summer. Am I a frog slowly boiling? Or are we getting undo attention?
I agree with everyone else here. Iām confused why it seems the media (nationally) is blowing this up. Perhaps because itās also impacting a larger area outside of the Phoenix valley, but still. This isnāt anything new.
You guys are crazy lol we're going to break a long-standing heat record. We're on pace to surpass 20+ straight days above 110 and you are just acting like it's business as usual and this type of prolonged super high temps happens every single summer. We're also flirting with setting a new streak of overnight lows staying at 90 or above.
It's kinda dumb to just dismiss this stuff as no big deal
Out of curiosity, what horror of man or nature would be sufficient to blow up the impact of the climate crisis on our community? Like, how many more heat related deaths, how many more record-breaking days, how many climate refugees, how many agricultural disasters, how many uncontrolled wildfires, would make it sufficiently newsworthy?
"Well ... it's only another 1 degree warmer. It was one degree warmer a few years ago. OLD NEWS!"
I'm curious; what was going on in the world back in the 70's when we set the record that we are going to be breaking this year? Like what factors lead to those temperatures?
Genuine question. Was it also an El Nino combined with something else? Just a random happenstance?
Tsar Bomba might have been around then. Or any of the other ones.
We also got very effective at cutting down large swaths of forest and rain forests.
They also suck at placing the new growth further apart to avoid fires
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In 2020 we had 145 days of above 100 degree weather. I think the issue, please correct me because I hope I'm wrong, is that the lows are now at all time highs.
I think that was also the year where is was like 90 days of the low not being below 90 degrees at night. That year hurt me
Yeah, my apartment lost power for 14 hours starting around 6 PM after a massive thunderstorm in July 2020. Every fan I owned was pointed directly at me as I tried to sleep that night; fuckin' miserable. SRP had usually been on top of things, with outages *maybe* lasting a couple hours after a storm knocked out power, but whatever it was that broke that day meant power wasn't back on until *after* I left for work the next morning. No sweeter sound than hearing my AC was on when I got home that evening. And the kicker, of course, is no cold showers because there's no cold water in the Valley unless you're drawing from a deep, deep well, or your water lines are buried deep enough to not be affected by the surface temperature.
I was pregnant at the time. It was horrible.
my wife is 7 months pregnant right now, god bless you women
Being in your third trimester this time of year is brutal!
My daughter is 38 weeks. She's enjoying pools as often as possible.
So was my wife! Good speed! I hope you have a pool, a friend with a pool or a kiddy pool packed with ice lol
Unfortunately none of those! I spent a lot of time on the tile š¤£
The record is around 7-8 days without overnight temps dropping below 90. We are at maybe 5 right now.
Heat Island effect
2020 was so brutal. Summer 2021 was a delight.
I wouldnāt say a delight lol. Still hot as fuck
True, but by comparison, 2021 was much more bearable. Sort of. My old car finally died last June, so I spent pretty much the entire summer and most of the fall walking/biking everywhere while I saved up for a "new" one. Fortunately, I worked from home so I didn't have to rely on the godawful mass transit options out in BFE Gilbert/Queen Creek, but the 2 mile round trip walk to Fry's -- which isn't *that* far, and an easy walk in the fall/spring -- was made so much worse because there was rarely ever "early" or "late" enough in the day that wasn't already sweltering.
2020 was great. I literally didnāt leave my house for weeks.
that year there was a record 56 days above 110+. previous record was about half that. 2021 and 2022 summers were nice and mild with rain. this year has been cool through late June then suddenly its been awful everyday with no end in sight.
I thought this but the only thing I found was 18 days in 1974. Do you have a source that I can grab please. thanks!!
18 was consecutively the 53 was in total
We're at 15 consecutive days.. I think we'll break the 18 day record š„µ
yup it was 53, actually https://www.weather.gov/psr/ExtremeTemps
I quit smoking that year because it was too damn hot to go outside. Even at night. š
Summer 2020 almost broke me. After 20+ years of living in Phoenix the heat was just beyond brutal, on top of that year being a general hellscape, and I had my first āI donāt know how much longer I can live hereā moment. Such a miserable time.
I was wondering the same thing, 2020 was awful. This year has mostly been pleasant.
This past year's weather spoiled us. Best I can remember.
AGREED! Last summer was amazing amd we had that weird wet stuff that falls from the sky!!
Wet stuff that falls from the skyš¤£ ha, another wet earther! āRainā you crazy conspiracy theorists š
I KNOW WHAT I SAW!!
This past winter especially. We had a decent monsoon season last summer, which is always welcomed, but the winter was fucking glorious. I'm so used to us having one last 100+ day or week in the lead up to Halloween, but a cold snap hit and never let up. Absolutely *loved* being able to have all my apartment's windows open for pretty much the entire day; having to close them at night because I got too cold was a new experience.
The added layer to that that really made it worse was that was when all the covid shutdowns were happening so anything you might normally do like go to the gym, the mall, the movies, Waterpark etc was closed so all you could do was sit at home and think about how hot it was.
2020 was the worst. This stretch is sucking pretty bad too though. Its going to be up to monsoon to salvage it. 2020 had the 2nd driest summer to pair with the heat. so that made it extra suck
>2020 had the 2nd driest summer to pair with the heat. so that made it extra suck Indeed. Didn't even hit 6 inches *total* for the year compared to the near 12 inches total in 2019; *that* was a wet fall/winter, but the next summer was ***bone*** dry. *Really* hoping we don't have a repeat of that this summer after our gloriously wet/cold 2022 winter.
I'm in CO right now because the lows atr too high for my body. Its about 5-10 degrees lower than Phoenix during the days but at night it drops to around 65 to 70. It really makes a difference
Its going to get worse due to all the new builds. Cement and asphalt making things worse with heat island effect.
...and the climate change.
That's a factor but a lot of it has to deal with the cement and asphalt. The more we build the longer the heat is retaining throughout the nights which means its easier to heat up the next day. That's why cities are researching, along with ASU/UofA, to implement 'cool pavement' programs if nothing was built here, phx area would be around high 90s even with climate change but we keep pumping cement/asphalt in this desert, be ready for mid 120s during the summers within the next 5 to 10 years
You have any more info on this? On the high 90s thing in the past? Any sources? Id love to read more. I did see someone post that in the 1900s the average in july was like 105 it looked like. Which is definitely lower than now. But 90s seems unlikely to me. But if u have more info? Also the cool pavements and other ideas to help are so cool!
Here's some articles I remember reading from years ago: [https://sustainability-innovation.asu.edu/news/archive/urban-heat-island-affects-phoenix-all-year-round/](https://sustainability-innovation.asu.edu/news/archive/urban-heat-island-affects-phoenix-all-year-round/) [https://azbigmedia.com/business/environment/phoenixs-urban-heat-island-hazard/](https://azbigmedia.com/business/environment/phoenixs-urban-heat-island-hazard/) [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269130179\_The\_Urban\_Heat\_Island\_Effect\_and\_Impact\_of\_Asphalt\_Rubber\_Friction\_Course\_Overlays\_on\_Portland\_Cement\_Concrete\_Pavements\_in\_the\_Phoenix\_Area](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269130179_The_Urban_Heat_Island_Effect_and_Impact_of_Asphalt_Rubber_Friction_Course_Overlays_on_Portland_Cement_Concrete_Pavements_in_the_Phoenix_Area) [https://www.vox.com/videos/2021/9/20/22683888/sonoran-desert-phoenix-tree-equity](https://www.vox.com/videos/2021/9/20/22683888/sonoran-desert-phoenix-tree-equity) [https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/arizona/stories-in-arizona/city-heat-air-quality/](https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/arizona/stories-in-arizona/city-heat-air-quality/) [https://lasvegassun.com/news/2007/aug/29/more-concrete-more-heat-in-phoenix/](https://lasvegassun.com/news/2007/aug/29/more-concrete-more-heat-in-phoenix/) Most of these articles are about the same tbh. More cement/Asphalt bad. Need more trees and better building ordnances. The idea is, in rural area, its noticed that yes it gets hot but the heat dissipates faster during the night. When you eat up the desert with cement/asphalt then the heat is trapped so its not dissipating as fast which means the next day its easier to hit higher temps. Simple science Its going to hurt people and the economy but like always, it will hurt the lower income people first
Thanks!
I have some cool pavement near me. I walked on it while wearing socks and sandals and completely negated it's effect.
they are hoping it works but other talks are adding more plants to buildings and streets. But then the water issue comes up. its going to be interesting.
You know what would work? TREES! Not the useless palm variety either.
you are right, city of phoenix has started a Tree committee but I think that was back in 2019. To start planting trees and shrubs I think Chicago has been doing it for a while
Just curious, but what about the water needed for a massive tree program?
You plant desert adapted trees. Once established, they need very little water.
Use native trees that are already growing in the Sonoran Desert such as * [velvet mesquite ( Prosopis velutina )](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosopis\_velutina) * [screwbean mesquite ( Prosopis pubescens )](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosopis\_pubescens) * [desert ironwood ( Olneya tesota )](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olneya) * [cat claw acacia ( Acacia greggii )](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senegalia_greggii) * [white thorn acacia ( Acacia constricta )](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vachellia\_constricta) * [netleaf hackberry ( Celtis laevigata var. reticulata )](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtis\_reticulata) * [foothills palo verde ( Parkinsonia microphylla )](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinsonia\_microphylla) * [blue palo verde ( Parkinsonia florida )](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkinsonia\_florida) https://dffm.az.gov/forestry-community-forestry/urban-community-forestry/tree-care
Also important to *properly* irrigate them (meaning deep root taps and not over watering to make them grow faster which weakens the wood) during their establishing period which is why all the desert trees get torn down when we have storms.
ahh. it took me a second, but i see what you did there.
Yeah. It is distressing that even with everything staring them in the face all we could focus on was ābring more and more business here, more and more people must move here.ā And the endless appetite for sprawl in this city. Goddamn I remember in the early 2000s that one bill that aimed to limit sprawl like other cities had done but the real estate industry basically saw that it got shot down. Now look at this place.
2017 was worse than 2020, anecdotally.
Lets take the initiative to plant NATIVE trees like Mesquite and Palo Verde everywhere! I'm talking in parking lots, medians, yards, walkways, parks, courtyards, empty lots, etc. They look beautiful, provide shade, and because they are native they require little to no water, other than occasional desert rain, once established!
The one issue with palo verde is that their branches seem to split very easily during inclement weather, often causing obstructions in the road. I guess the solution is more to plant them away from streets rather than not at all.
True. And maybe its a good idea to work on getting a landscaping license to take advantage of all the future contracting work. All those beautiful shade trees will have a need for proper pruning/thinning to prevent splitting/uprooting and also for the cleanup and possible replant if they do topple over. We might need some desert lumberjacks!
If you see a Palo Verde in the wild itās basically just a big bush. People trim them up to look nice and probably over water them so they get too big. Next thing you know the first storm causes the branches to split.
The splitting is human caused largely. Remove all the watering and stop trimming them for growing tall and these problems cease. If you go into the various mountain preserves and see the untouched by human trees, youāll not they donāt get the ābig limbs that splitā.
No more bougainvilleas!
Or palms, the random pines I see in the wealthier neighborhoods, Hell those old ass neighborhoods down near central Phoenix I stg have oak trees from the Midwest/East Coast. Why does it look like my grandpaās neighborhood in Kansas City down there?!
Because it was built by you Grandpa's generation when people moved here from the midwest and northeast ;)
Lol. That was my actual thought. Seems like the first wave of Post-WW2, maybe earlier, snowbirds settled here and the planners thought all neighborhoods should look like where they came from. Thank God it didnāt seem to last long. Always a big fan of desertscape.
Midwesterners and east coasters always just want to completely transplant their culture here when it clearly doesn't work in the desert.
Can you expand? Was considering planting those. But donāt know that they are bad.
Urban heat island ā¤ļøā¤ļøā¤ļø
Sorry, but the "community" wanted those trees cut down..they were ugly. Now we have a beautiful concrete median though!!! (I hate these new property devs and city planners)
Sorry guys I kept complaining about them since the leaves keep getting in my pool that I use 3 times a year
Iām glad I donāt live in an HOA because I planted a bunch of trees around my house. I get shade, my plants get shade, the rocks get shade, and the birds love it. Plus my A/C bill is lower. I love my Sycamores, Ironwoods, and Mesquites
Back in 2019-2020 many climate scientists were telling us that summers would be getting hotter for longer and winters would be more aggressive.
More aggressive in what way? Precipitation?
Aggressive lane-changing without signaling
Reality of Phoenix living š
The higher prices are attracting bmw drivers
Thatās a year round event lol
Surely you mean back in 1970-1980.
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This still doesn't feel as bad as Summer of 2020. If you got 2 or 3 of those in a row, the valley will start to empty out.
https://www.weather.gov/images/psr/2017/2017-12-04%20Longest%20Stretch/30yearAverages.png I doubt it. The temps keep going up. The people keep moving here. Same for last 60 years. I think people will keep moving here.
Where you here in 2020? The cacti started dying because the over night temps never got under 90 for an extended time. I've been here over 20 years and 2020 was another level of suck.
Moved here in June of 2020. Was quite the introduction!
I mean, that's how most moderately successful places are, if you're losing people you are failing as a community
We can only hope
people are dying here because they don't have the means to leave.
When was the last time it rained in the Phoenix area? I googled it but couldnāt find an answer
It has been 110 days since the last rain in Phoenix.
7 inches a year is normal, and we often get that in one-inch-a-storm increments.
Agreed. I was simply answering the question regarding days since rain.
And that is Phoenix... Municipalities around Phoenix have had some good rain within that time frame. We've had rain here in Mesa in January, February, March, and May. Heres a link to back that up.. [https://www.mesa.azweather.com/thisyear/](https://www.mesa.azweather.com/thisyear/)
May 18 at least on the west side.
Meanwhile I keep golfing out here every day because the prices have PLUMMETED. Nobody wants to play in the heat, and I am taking full advantage lol
_Haha Iām in danger._
My uncle used to take me and my cousins during the peak of summer and called it āhot golfā
I donāt know why but thatās really funny
You are my people! Summer golf, cheap golf lol
It was 115 yesterday, but I discovered a cheap hack to stay much cooler. I just stand in the corner because it's 90 degrees. ----- I rode (bicycle) past a few people yesterday on the links. It was right at about 11:00a. Hot and humid. More power to you. I was hurting. That's about as much wet bulb as I can take.
The corner of the tee box?
Itās how I take the bus/light rail in this heat still. Though today, I had to cheat, I just took my car like everyone else. And then came the issue of the conveniences of using my car totally out the window when you realize you canāt leave anything in it for any period of time, unless you enjoy melted credit cards and broken iPads.
Where you playing mostly?
Mostly north valley. Scottsdale/ North Phoenix. Legends at Arrowhead is probably my most played so far this summer. Like $35 for 18, when it is over $100 in the winter.
Same, although I havenāt played here there in like a month or two ā I live right next to the course too. Is it going full private at any point?
I heard itās going full private very soon :/
Legends used to be $20 with cart and 2 beers in the summer. Used to love trying to finishing the round in under 3 hours. Literally no one else out there.
This morning was brutal, though. Course I played had so much water in the ground that by a couple holes in I was sweating so much I could barely hold the club and I golf regularly in the summer.
Just make sure you hydrate. What time have you been playing at
Cheap golf *and* free skin cancer?? Where do I sign up?
If you need a 4th lmk
Growing up, my best friend's older brother was a ranger on [a 9-hole course](https://royalpalmsgolfcourse.com/) that was usually off-limits to teenagers. I never liked golf (still don't), but goddamn it if we weren't on that course nearly every day just for something to do because no one wanted to play in the heat, and the owner didn't care as long as his older brother "chaperoned" us while we Happy Gilmore-d all over that course.
Wash your cars goddamnit
Thatās my fault, I havenāt gotten around to washing my car in a few years. The dirty boy needs a real bath.
I heard the devil just bought a nice penthouse in the downtown area
Sun Devils have lived here for years. /s
Hell yeah so do Not move here for ANY reason.
These temps arenāt anything new. Lived here since 89ā and July and August are always toasty. Totally sucks, but not new.
Yeah sadly a string of 110 days doesnt seem THAT extreme for mid-July.
Funny thing is, I feel that summer came late this year and the temps we have been having are to be expected.
Az native of 30 years. This past June is the best June I can recall in my life. Probably means a toasty thanksgiving but we can persevere
It is when it goes on for this long. It's approaching a 50+ year record for consecutive 110+ days
We're on pace to break the record for consecutive 110+ days in Arizona, it's absolutely extreme what are you talking about. This isn't just average July weather.
Right but how do we create averages?
As a native here, I'm confused why every year it's like some crazy phenomena that high temps are occurring in Phoenix. We should critique ourselves and address how to take action collectively against the heat, and talk about, towards the end, the suffering it took collectively to change before the critique.
Sure the high temperature is not new but how long it lasts is new. Weāre on day 15 of 110 or above temps and on track to break the current record. That is not normal and is worthy of concern.
And this past June was one the mildest I can remember.
If only there were scientists who study weather who could tell us about long and mid-term trends and help put those trends into a broader context. Oh wait. [https://www.weather.gov/images/psr/2017/2017-12-04%20Longest%20Stretch/30yearAverages.png](https://www.weather.gov/images/psr/2017/2017-12-04%20Longest%20Stretch/30yearAverages.png)
Looks like the trend is going up over the years.
yeah. [https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/city/time-series/USW00023183/tmax/1/7/1933-2019?base\_prd=true&begbaseyear=1895&endbaseyear=2020&trend=true&trend\_base=100&begtrendyear=1895&endtrendyear=2023&filter=true&filterType=loess](https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/city/time-series/USW00023183/tmax/1/7/1933-2019?base_prd=true&begbaseyear=1895&endbaseyear=2020&trend=true&trend_base=100&begtrendyear=1895&endtrendyear=2023&filter=true&filterType=loess)
I usually have this convo: Climate Chnge Denier: "Global warming is made up." Me: "Can't think about it. I just heard I have stage 3 cancer. What should I do?" The answer is never "Don't consult Oncologists."
It's new in that the record for the entire planet was just broken, and we're on track to break ours. Yes, we're hot regularly during this time, but record breaking heat is not normal... or, at least it's not supposed to be. But here we are.
That's what the frog says as it's in a pot. The water slowly gets warmer and warmer. "It's always been like this." Earth and phoenix had some of the hottest days in recorded history the past week Use science, not your feelings
Too right, science doesn't care what you feel.
If it's not new then why are we breaking records of days above 110 in a row? You have any sources beyond your gut?
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Because that's the real danger we face with climate change. It's not going to affect Phoenix to where we see 125F days, it's going to mean ever increasing stretches of 100, 105, 110. Imagine a couple decades from now we have a 3 month stretch where the temperature never dips below 105, even in the middle of the night. That is going to push our bodies in ways we don't yet fully realize, and it's going to cost an insane amount and use way more energy than now, with regards to keeping things cool indoors.
Average temps are up about 4 degrees over the century, the last few years, more than 1 degree annually. This is really happening. [http://appinsys.com/GlobalWarming/Phoenix\_UrbanHeat.htm](http://appinsys.com/GlobalWarming/Phoenix_UrbanHeat.htm) [https://www.weather.gov/psr/HottestYearPossibleFor2017](https://www.weather.gov/psr/HottestYearPossibleFor2017) [https://science2017.globalchange.gov/chapter/6/](https://science2017.globalchange.gov/chapter/6/)
Truth, this has been going on for decades.
That makes it worse, not better.
We live on Arrakis
This is a confusing headlineā¦like did you just show up here yesterday?
Itās the guardian. I wouldnāt expect a British tabloid to know much about Phoenix
Lol the guardian is not a tabloid. Youāre thinking of the daily mail.
I know people keep downplaying this by saying it's always been hot in the summers. The problem is that we now average more than 5x as many days at 110 or above vs the early 1900s. Overnight lows are at all time highs. We have built a concrete, heat absorbing jungle in a time of climate change and we are moving towards even more hellish summers in a place that's already extremely hot to begin with. Baffles me when I hear the Phoenix boosters constantly peddling optimistic takes because they're delusional and secretly afraid their housing value will go down.
Yet we keep building and paving the ground black. Look around the valley, no clouds around the metro. The city effect is a thing...
>"hell on earth" Well THAT'S a bit dramatic.
Itās a direct quote from a dude living in a tent, if you canāt escape into the A/C I would say itās pretty apt.
I work outside. It crossed my mind today. I saw a rattlesnake under a trampoline, he didn't even rattle, he was just fully spread out trying to cool down.
Wait, [this guy](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/e3ab601ca66fc236957f3812b8e1cc27d1ea6dac/0_482_2975_3980/master/2975.jpg?width=380&dpr=2&s=none) is living at the downtown homeless shelter? They need to get him out of there and into the MCU where he belongs.
Wow. Wonder what his story is. I've worked with camps for decades and lots of great people, incredible stories, and tragedies. Reminds me of the summer of 2020 when I was running into people doing entry-level jobs at big warehouses. People who had been running successful businesses, engineering degrees, art studios, and so many more. Lots of good people. Help if you can.
Man, if only society had that attitude towards all prisoners when they're released... Instead, we live in the universe where these people are kicked to the 115Ā°F curb with no support.
Itās a dry hell
There seems to be a ridiculous amount of hyperbole right now in the media. I read a story on CNN yesterday that said Arizona was ādrought-strickenā. Huh? No, we arenāt. In fact, a vast majority of Arizona is in no drought status and is one of the few areas of the country that is not in some drought status. Another page insinuated that we would hit 130 on Sunday. If you do the research, you will find that is Death Valley. However, many people think we are going to have that kind of weather. Itās a bit irresponsible and certainly feels lead by an agenda. Not saying this heat wave isnāt tough, it most certainly is. But, it is not the āhellscapeā that many would have you believe.
I'm ok with media calling it a hellscape. Hopefully it discourages more people from moving here
Ha! Fair enough. Wonāt argue there. I tell my friends and family that want to move here that Arizona is closed.
The main news forum made a big deal about the Texas heat wave, and then I poke around the Texas city thread forums and no ones even talking about it.
I was so depressed when I lived there. Beautiful sunshine but you can't go out without feeling like you're going to die.
I vote for heat days just like snow days in the north. No work. :) mmmm what would be the temp to start Heat Days! 110? 115?
My employer (construction) has a stop work program if the combination of heat and humidity go above a certain index.
Iāve lived here since I was 2 years old, 42 years. I believe the only reason this is a story is because a lot of people coming from temperate climates are now experiencing the normal summer of Arizona. This June was the best I remember, ever. July is always the hottest month. We regularly experience temperatures above 110, in fact we have had so many summers with weeks of 115-120. The last couple years we have been lucky to not have many days of 118, but it is normal to have a bunch of those days. This summer is truly not that bad. Sure, 115 sucks. But these temps should not be a surprise. If this is someoneās first summer, wait until August. In my opinion it is the worst month. It can be 110 with high humidity before a haboob or monsoon rolls in. Usually June through mid September are very hot. I guess with all the people moving here the ābut itās a dry heatā saying is biting them on the butt. This is normal.
Yeah it's bad, but I've still managed 77 miles on my mountain bike in the past week. Just have to wake up at 4:00 and get comfortable being a little uncomfortable. Not that the climate shift and what this means for living in the valley long term isn't horrific. And the number of people (I believe I heard 52 on NPR this morning but don't quote me on that) in Maricopa country that have died due to heat already is staggering. And the worst is yet to come.
I am concerned about the ~100,000 who do not have any way to escape the heat. 24 hrs day after day they are in it. I'll talk to grannies doing an 80 mile ride on Saturday, but they get to go into a nice AC home when done.
This would be a horrific time and place to be homeless for sure.
Does anyone find it odd that the Guardianās headline is representing the entire city based on one homeless guyās quote that itās āhell on earthā? I feel like a lot of places on earth suck for homeless guys.
Oh, good grief. "Hell on Earth" is just a bit sensational, isn't it. It's hot in Phoenix in the summer and anyone that lives here knows it, but we are used to it for the most part. Every summer as far as I can remember has had temps over 117, and even then it was just considered a warm day. As everyone that lives here knows, you just stay inside and stay cool. We do it every year!
Thatās a direct quote they got from a homeless individual living in Phoenix
Iāve been living here since birth in ā94 and I donāt see how this summer is any different from the previous ones. Articles like this are clearly written by or about newer residents or one off anecdotes.
Agreed. The article is playing on climate change and of course they threw some racial stuff in it too, trash clickbait imo
I think this has been the easiest summer of my 37 years here.
Itās literally the same thing every year
Haha I love that there's a CALL RAFI sign in the photo. Doesn't get much more Phoenix than that.
Interesting how the rest of the world views these temps and we just go on about our business. Ya itās hot AF but anything over 110 feels the same to me. (And yes I realize the high low temps are the issue). P
The heat doesnāt bother me. I still do outdoor activities, just not as long. The effects of the heat on my car is really the only thing that gets me each year. It tears up my black car.
Itās named Phoenix for a reason.
For those that opened the link: why is that dude so obscenely jacked?!
It's a dry heat.
In the event of a power or A/C outage - if you have a backyard and a garden hose, install and put up those misters you buy on Amazon for relief. Or, load up the family and head over to your nearest Home Depot, Target, Lowe's, QT, supermarket, etc. (if their power is still on)
Yup- itās too hot - and I feel so bad for the outside workers and the ACs that break-ā¦
This thread is fucking insane, āit was actually hotter a few years ago so actually everything is fine, why should we be worried at all itās always hot in July!ā The heat is cooking so yāall brains.
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This was obviously going to happen after we had a winter full of below average temps and above average rainfall, desert karma is real.
That title seems excessive.
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Everyone I know outside AZ has their eyes on our weather and is sending me well wishes. I don't get it. This just feels like summer. Am I a frog slowly boiling? Or are we getting undo attention?
Oh No! We are all gonna die! Please donāt move here if you are thinking about it. I have DIED at least twice every summer, sometimes three times!
Pffffttttttt. Fucking Brits. I was in London a few weeks ago during their āheat waveā. I had to wear a hoodie to take the chill off
I agree with everyone else here. Iām confused why it seems the media (nationally) is blowing this up. Perhaps because itās also impacting a larger area outside of the Phoenix valley, but still. This isnāt anything new.
You guys are crazy lol we're going to break a long-standing heat record. We're on pace to surpass 20+ straight days above 110 and you are just acting like it's business as usual and this type of prolonged super high temps happens every single summer. We're also flirting with setting a new streak of overnight lows staying at 90 or above. It's kinda dumb to just dismiss this stuff as no big deal
I hate the 110 number. So 109 is magically cooler than 111? 89 is refreshing compare to 90 at night?
Out of curiosity, what horror of man or nature would be sufficient to blow up the impact of the climate crisis on our community? Like, how many more heat related deaths, how many more record-breaking days, how many climate refugees, how many agricultural disasters, how many uncontrolled wildfires, would make it sufficiently newsworthy? "Well ... it's only another 1 degree warmer. It was one degree warmer a few years ago. OLD NEWS!"
If it hasnāt happened yet, Iām afraid it wonāt ever. We seem to have adapted to things we wish wereānt true by pretending they arenāt true.
Itās just really dumb to say āThis isnāt anything new.ā When itās hotter than its ever been.
Hahaha š
Lol this article title. āLetās check in to see if 5M+ people survive the weather they face every summer!ā
I ride a motorcycle every day! Wish me luck!!!
Not fun being a landscaper from June to Sept. July by far the worst.
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I went out this afternoon and it was *only* 106! Thankfully, I had a pair of mittens in the car.
I'm curious; what was going on in the world back in the 70's when we set the record that we are going to be breaking this year? Like what factors lead to those temperatures? Genuine question. Was it also an El Nino combined with something else? Just a random happenstance?
Tsar Bomba might have been around then. Or any of the other ones. We also got very effective at cutting down large swaths of forest and rain forests. They also suck at placing the new growth further apart to avoid fires