Why it gets so cold in Phoenix

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It's January, and if you're new to Phoenix and are wondering why it's so cold at this time of year, the truth is that it's not unusual for the temperatures to get below freezing. The Sonoran Desert (which is where Phoenix is) gets bitterly cold in January, but only in the wee hours of the morning.

I'm fascinated with Phoenix history, and my research has shown that, in spite of Marketing *spin* to the contrary, Phoenix gets really hot and really cold, and has for a really, really, long time. It also gets rain, and floods, you know, the kind of thing that Real Estate agents and the Chamber of Commerce doesn't like to talk about.

Now, don't get me wrong, I like Phoenix. A lot. I moved here as a teenager. I was going to ASU during the *100-year flood* and the *500-year flood*, which were my last two years there, by the way. And then I discovered that every year, year after year, Phoenix has that type of *unusual weather*. And that includes getting very cold.

There's another frost warning tonight, and one of my friends on Facebook asked me if that was due to some type of overall chilling of the planet, or global warming, or something. No, it's typical weather for Phoenix in January.

The good news about Phoenix is that as soon as the sun comes up, the temperatures go up quickly. The desert floor doesn't retain heat, but you can usually count on Phoenix to be sunny. So while it may get below freezing at night, rest assured that you will be comfortable playing golf with only a light jacket in January. But watch out when the sun goes down!

Brad draws custom cartoon illustrations for publications, blogs, presentations, anything you want. You can contact him at his website BradHallArt.com

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