Morning Cup Of Coffee And Weather

It was 3F this morning as I sipped my first cup of coffee for the day. Yesterday it was 9F with high winds. It seemed colder then.

 

We are in a southwestern suburb of Phoenix in the foothills of the Estrella mountain range where the elevation makes it a few degrees cooler for both highs and lows than Phoenix proper, but here is a March temp chart for Phoenix from March 2023.
Not every year, but we do get overnight frosts occasionally in Dec. and early Jan, but it usually will nip the plant leaves as opposed to completely killing the plants.
View attachment upload_2023-12-19_6-52-28.png

 

I have zero experience in arid climates, just enough going to Las Vegas and being outside in 111-degree heat, feeling "a little warm" only to get home and splash water on my face and feel it 'crack.'

That experience taught me that numbers don't tell the whole story --- What does that really mean. Is cold similar to how it is experienced in the humid midwest, or does cold feel colder, or cold feel warmer? How does the lack of humidity change the experience? Does it just make it feel colder, or does it moderate both extremes?

 

Well I'm not a meteorologist, but I don't think it is really any different than what you have experienced in the midwest. which is where we normally reside as well. When it's cold and damp, it feels more raw, but it doesn't ever get really cold here like up there (otherwise we wouldn't be here), but if it did, it would be the same, since the amount of humidity the air can hold is limited by it's temperature. So really cold air can't hold much water, where as really warm air can, and that is where the difference is. We used to spend some winter time in FL, and it always started getting uncomfortable when the temps started climbing into the 80's, but here, like your Vegas experience, it can get into the 100's and feel "warm" but tolerable if your in the shade. I guess there just isn't enough water around to evaporate into the air and raise the humidity, or dew point.[/QUOTE]

 

Cold is cold for me, having lived in arid cold midwest and spent lots of time in cold dry desert. You can dress for that easy enough.
Its the rainy cold slushy season that gets old fast, due to clothes getting wet and losing insulation.

Hot is much easier for me in arid desert than steamy FL, or humid midwest, due to relative humidity and evaporative cooling.

 

Oh, humidity is not a friend of mine. Perhaps I'm not in the best physical shape, but if I have to do anything 'hard' on a summer day...I fold like a cheap chair at a fat camp. Speaking of which, I've got to lose a few pounds. I think the culprit is primarily due to too much libation.

We'll see. Since I have this opportunity to go walkabout for a couple of weeks, I may get to find out. I'm going to need my winter gear, regardless, I suspect.

 

Speaking of humidity it’s so damp here we have lots of fog. The temperature is 33F and the dew point is 33F making the relative humidity right at 100%.

 

I forgot to mention happy shortest day of the year. Even though it’s the shortest day of the year the sunset is 4 minutes later than the earliest sunset. About 10 days ago the sunset was at 4:17 and now it’s at 4:21. The big difference is sunrise is 6 minutes later.

 

....after a week or so of sunny mid 70's here, the rain system in CA has moved inland with rain here now, and expected through mid day tomorrow, with 1/2 - 1 " totals around the greater Phoenix area ( a big deal here), before making it's way up to the upper mid-west for Christmas, while the sun and more seasonably normal mid 60's temps return here starting Sunday, and lasting through the 10 day forecast.

 

Wierd. Where did you find this? What is the cause? I would not have expected this in the least!!!

 

How does this rain impact the soil? Obviously it gets wet

Last fall I know the playa at burning man was saturated causing many people to get stuck. Do you see, or expect to see, the same muddy 'sinking' conditions, or does the soil have good drainage and is still relatively easily navigable?

 

Had you been in Southern Alabama you could have witnessed the winter solstice at Bamahenge

 

I think the area where burning Man was held is a dry lake bed where the soil is a silt, and turns into a mud quickly with a little water. Around here the soil is more like concrete, and the water tends to run off quickly causing flash floods easily. Fortunately we are on a bit higher ground with a wash nearby that tends to collect, and drain all the runoff before it can be a problem for our property.

 

I figured it out by observation.

I discovered it on another app. There are many out there. I have about 20 locations where I track the weather.

 

Its $4.99 now, unless I have the wrong app....

Playa is something I have no experience with after I asked the question, I discovered what you just said So, taking words of wisdom from you, if I'm on BLM land, I need to make sure I'm on high ground, though if I actually go, I don't expect to spend much time being stationary --- just a night while traveling, and maybe two nights in a place near things I want to see.

We'll see --- things are still developing.

 

I love this forum! Without going into irrelevant details, I had a problem with some equipment I own --- I googled it, clicked on a link and it brought me straight to this forum with exactly the information I needed.

 

Merry Christmas Eve...
Its cold out there up north...
SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids

 

Merry Christmas everyone. This will be the warmest Christmas on record with a low of 47 and high in the mid-fifties.