If Phoenix is that hot, why do so many move there? (Tucson: hotels, home)

[AzScorpion12]

Originally Posted by garxhap

I keep getting answers, but they aren't answers to the exact question I am asking: Do people in Phoenix ever exercise vigourously in the middle of the afternoon in the summer and is it considered dangerous?

Everyone will have their own opinion,you'd have to go there and see for yourself.I use to snowmobile in Northern Maine at -20,now would you consider this dangerous? Probably if you've never grown up doing this or acclimated your body to this but we did it all the time. Everyone's different, there's really no exact answer to your question.What may seem dangerous to some may not be for others. Spend the summer there and see what vigorous exercise will do to you. If you pass out or end up in the hospital you'll know it's dangerous.

[azriverfan.]

Because it's only that hot 4 months out of the year, the same amount of time that it's "that cold" everywhere else. Most of us realize a hot summer is much better than a cold winter. Hot summers are annoying but doesn't disrupt your life like a cold winter meaning flights are not cancelled, school is not cancelled, roads are not closed, driving is safer, not having to wear multiple layers of clothing everywhere, not having to check your coat in every time you go to a restaurant etc.

Yes, high school kids exercise in the heat here. I've seen kids with full football gear practicing in the heat. It's not dangerous as long as you are well hydrated and take breaks. Dryer weather allows your body to cool faster because high humidity inhibits the body's ability to cool itself. Your body cools down by sweating and then allowing that sweat to be carried off (evaporate). If it's humid, the surrounding environment has a high water vapor so the sweat on top of your skin isn't easily lifted off and your body struggles to get rid of that heat buildup. One's risk of acquiring heat related illness is greater in high heat and humidity versus high heat alone. This is why most heat related deaths in young athletes and people exposed to a limited amount of time in heat occur in humid states like Florida and the deep South. I've personally treated runners for this when I was an intern. These runners were running in 95 F in extremely humid weather. They felt fine until they crashed and their body temperatures reached 104 degrees F.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by garxhap

So what you are saying is nobody plays in mid-afternoon in the summer? I'm not saying EVERYONE in Houston goes out and plays in the blazing summer sun, but believe me, pleanty of people do it and don't mind it a bit. I'm not trying to start a my city is better than yours flame war, I'm just trying to figure out whether it is considered really uncomfortable or dangerous to participate in sports in the afternoon when the temps are over 110. I hear over and over that many people prefer dry heat of 110 plus over humid heat of 95 and I don't doubt it. But what I'm trying to find out is whether those people are including exercising, taking long walks, etc, or whether they are just talking about sitting in the shade or even taking a very brief walk from the car into a store when they go shopping. I have actually worked outside in Eastern Washington when the temperature was 108 and frankly it wasn't unpleasant. But I was in the shade the whole time. It seems to me that the blazing afternoon sun would be brutal when the temp gets to 112 etc. Is that true or not?

What's the point of this question? Our mornings are perfect in the summer. Our evenings are nice too in the summer. I would rather play tennis at night in Arizona than at nigh in Houston? You have to remember the insect and bug factor too. In Arizona, you are not dealing with swarms of mosquitoes, flies, june bugs and all of these other types of insects you get in the South in the summer because it's so humid. You can actually hang out on your patio and not require a blue bug zapper and Off-Spray. I've spent pleny evenings in Texas summers and it was not pleasant compared to here.

[jerry cleveland]

i have a brother who moved to phoenix area recently and I have thought of moving that way myself with my two children. I like the idea of not being humid, and I can tolerate heat. My question on Arizona and Phoenix is simply this. Is it a safe environment for children and are the schools solid? Would really like honest input.

[AliveandWell]

Well, they move there for a variety of reasons just like when people move to other cities but I would guess that people move to Phoenix because of the high amount of sunshine. I'm not saying that's the only reason but it seems to be one of the major ones. I would not mind living in Arizona although the summers in Phoenix are hot! Arizona is actually an interesting state because of the ranges in elevation between cities. Tucson is a bit cooler than PHX in the summer, Prescott is even cooler and you know what I mean by this. Having said that, 110F is a hot, dry heat. It is like being greeted by hot air. I've heard some say that when it gets above 110F, it doesn't matter whether the heat is dry or humid that it is still hot. Over where I am if it gets to 100F and above, then I start feeling hot. I'm actually more annoyed with bugs, particularly bark scorpions. I would not want to deal with those getting in my bed or being in my shoes because imagine picking up a shoe to wear it and possibly get stung or hopping into bed one night to get stung. I would deal with heat as long as I knew there were no bark scorpions to deal with but I'm in the minority regarding this. Most people in PHX are more bothered by the heat. I suggest visiting in the summer to see if you can deal with it or not.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by jerry cleveland

i have a brother who moved to phoenix area recently and I have thought of moving that way myself with my two children. I like the idea of not being humid, and I can tolerate heat. My question on Arizona and Phoenix is simply this. Is it a safe environment for children and are the schools solid? Would really like honest input.

It's extremely safe and the schools are solid despite what you will hear on this forum. You can immediately tell when you drive through the neighborhoods. Most of Phoenix is really upscale and nice. Most cities have their "nice area" and the rest is okay. Phoenix is similar to Southern California in that most of the Phoenix metro is pretty nice with a few bad areas. We nitpick and compete with who has the best areas but it's almost like choosing between Mercedes and BMW when picking Phoenix cities and neighborhoods. They are all nice in their own way.

The reports of kidnappings affects immigrants and people involved with the drug trade. It doesn't affect people not involved in that. I feel much safer in Phoenix than I did in Dallas. There isn't an area in Phoenix that I wouldn't drive through even though there are scarier areas than others. In Los Angelas, there are straight up barrios that you don't dare enter regardless of the time of day. There is nothing remotely close to that in Phoenix.

Think about this, Phoenix gets criticized for not having a downtown or urban area, well there are positives to that too and low crime is one of them despite the statistics.

It's like this, do the research yourself. You will discover that it's far different than you will hear on this forum regarding schools etc. I had the same fears based on what I read here and the reality is far different. Go to this website www.greatschools.com They rate schools all over the country. You will see there are top schools in every part of the valley.

[tomahawk72]

My kids (6 and 9) play outside all summer long. No big deal. Just keep them hydrated.

[TurcoLoco]

I don't know why so many moving there but if Phoenix was so bad/hot would millions of illegals be going there?

[shiphead]

I moved here because my parents moved here when I was underage. All my family lives out here. None of them live in Phoenix, they live in AZ and Phoenix is the only place a person without a degree can find a job. Plus I like having the convenience of a university within city limits.

[acrylic]

Originally Posted by AliveandWell

I'm actually more annoyed with bugs, particularly bark scorpions. I would not want to deal with those getting in my bed or being in my shoes because imagine picking up a shoe to wear it and possibly get stung or hopping into bed one night to get stung. I would deal with heat as long as I knew there were no bark scorpions to deal with but I'm in the minority regarding this. Most people in PHX are more bothered by the heat. I suggest visiting in the summer to see if you can deal with it or not.

I don't think bark scorpions, or any type of scorpion, is that prevalent. I've spoken to absolutely no one where scorpions were that much of a problem.

Where I'm staying now, they've only seen one scorpion their whole time here. I practice caution regardless and just tap my shoes on the ground in case there may be something inside.

As far as a bark scorpion getting into your bed - very unlikely. The only way is if it would crawl into your bed through the bed legs, or if you had an A/C vent directly above your bed and it somehow climbed through the A/C. If you're worried about those scenarios, put glass around the legs of your bed - scorpions can't climb glass. Also, if you had a bed directly below an A/C vent, then I would move the bed.

I'm not a scorpion expert by any means, but I've been on this forum enough that I know about what to do to minimize risk of them ending up in your bed, etc. and to limit risk of getting stung by one.