Typical weather for Phoenix, Arizona

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One of the most difficult things to do is to get a straight answer about is typical weather in Phoenix, Arizona. If you read stuff distributed by the Chamber of Commerce, or Real Estate agents, I guess you can't blame them for putting a bit of a *spin* on it. But I've lived here since I was a teenager, and although I love living here, I have no incentive to twist the facts. So here you go, starting with right now, in January.

The winter weather is gorgeous. No, this isn't *Chamber of Commerce* talk. The winter weather in Phoenix, Arizona is just about the best place to be on planet earth. I'm talking impossibly blue skies, temperatures in the sixties and seventies, and well, nice. If you want to see this, I recommend that you arrive in November. You will see the most beautiful climate that you can possibly imagine for about five months. It can get a cold snap, below freezing, in the wee hours of the morning, so if you have tender tropical plants, be sure to cover them at that time, but if you're interested in golf, rest assured that as soon as the sun comes up the weather will be warm enough to play in a sweater or a light coat. I've never seen the need for anything heavier than a sweatshirt here in all the winters I've spent here.

If you stay in Phoenix past March, be prepared for unbelievably hot weather. I mean *cook an egg on the sidewalk* hot, that lasts through September. If you plan on living in Phoenix year 'round, be sure you have a car with great air-conditioning (the A/C in my GM car will blow your hat in the creek!) and the same for your house or apartment. Don't even think about a *cheerful* southern exposure! If you plan on having a garden, try to arrange for it to be on the east side of your house, so it can get afternoon sun. And if you have trees, water them and care for them. Shade is so very important in the desert!

Photo: Phoenix Canariensis (Canary Island Date Palms) at Sahuaro Ranch, Glendale, Arizona.

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