Hot Tips for Living in Phoenix in the Summer

The summertime in Phoenix is very hot. They say “it’s a dry heat” but, well, so is a sauna. Many people like to escape Phoenix when the temperatures are above 100 degrees for weeks on end, 24/7. Some head North to the so-called “high country.” Others, called snowbirds, go back to their primary homes somewhere else. But lots of us love Phoenix in the summer when temperatures can be as high as 120 degrees and the water in our backyard swimming pools is body temperature.

Things you’ll notice about how people and businesses have adapted to the heat.

• Life is organized around air conditioning. People drive from their air-conditioned homes in air-conditioned vehicles to air-conditioned gyms, office, churches, theatres, and everything else. Everything is air-conditioned in Phoenix.
• Life is also organized around irrigation. Even the plants along highways are kept alive by incredibly complex underground irrigation systems.
• If you have a newer-model vehicle, chances are if you hold the door lock button for a few extra seconds, all of your windows will open automatically. You will come to appreciate this feature. You may even have an app that lets you turn on your vehicle’s A/C before you get in. Use this feature, too.
• Speaking of vehicles, that one lonely tree in a shopping center parking lot will be where everyone wants to park, no matter how far from the stores it is.
• Some folks keep oven mitts in their vehicles because the steering wheel just might be too hot to handle. This is also why white vehicles with light-colored interiors is the most popular color combo here.
• There are shade structures everywhere, from the fabric sails and awnings around private homes to large structures at car washes where folks dry your vehicle after a wash.
• Shop door handles are wrapped in cloth or plastic if those handles face the sun, to keep patrons from burning their hands, especially if those doors face the daytime sun.
• Water, water everywhere: practically every business, from bank branches to furniture stores will ask you if you need water and will happily give you a free bottle. Use a drive-up bank and that drawer they push out for you will most likely already have a bottle of water in it. Hydration is critical. Remember the adage: drink before you’re thirsty.
• Speaking of water, water activities such as kayaking and tubing on the Salt River and in its damned lakes, in water parks, and in neighborhood parks with water features are popular spots for a momentary respite from the sun.
• Get used to the early hours. If you want to walk your dogs or do outdoor exercises such as hiking or biking when it’s been 100 degrees overnight for weeks, the only time you and your pets can tolerate moving around outdoors is before sunrise. It is actually illegal to take your dog for a walk on any city trail if the temperature is above 100 degrees.
• Wearing hats, the bigger and floppier the better, and wearing sunscreen are second nature, especially if you have fair skin.

Yes, Phoenix can be very hot in the summertime, and that's one of many reasons that Maricopa County, in which Phoenix is the largest city, is the most popular move-to destination in the U.S.