The mercury is rising in Phoenix

 

The mercury is rising in Phoenix, today the high temperature could hit triple digits.  I know there are lots of folks who will whine and complain about the heat – but as a semi-native I understand both the positive and negative parts of our weather all too well.

Yes, the temperature is rising, but for us allergy sufferers that is actually a very good thing.  Once the temperature stays above 90 degrees for several days, the trees will slow down their pollen production, which will in turn slow down the itchy eyes, stuffy noses and all the other irritating allergy symptoms that so many of us deal with.  The extreme summer heat also does a great job of reducing the insect population, like us, the annoying flies and mosquitoes are driven into hiding from the heat.  Another great positive to the rising temperatures is the accompanying rising temperatures of our swimming pools.  I love swimming – so the sooner the pool gets up to a comfortable temperature the happier I am.  Being outside in the warm sunny weather also helps me with getting enough Vitamin D (see my previous blog post about Vitamin D).  Growing up in the Arizona I have always loved the sun and I have grown accustomed to the heat.  I consider the heat of the summer a very fair tradeoff for not dealing with icy, snowy cold winters.  Watching the news each night, and gazing in wonder at the mountains of snow and ice in other parts of the country, I am always grateful to live in the sunny southwest. 

I know there are also downsides to the rapidly rising mercury.  Once it gets over 90, I can no longer enjoy having the top down on my fun convertible.  Rather than a fun experience – it feels more like someone holding a hairdryer up to your face and turning the switch on high.  I know the rising temperatures are in direct proportion to my rising electricity bills.  It takes a lot of power and a lot of money to cool off our homes and businesses.   It is only April, so we will be dealing with these high temperatures for the next five months, which can be difficult for anyone to bear.   Arizonans know that summer heat means trying to park in the shade and being careful not to touch anything inside your car until the a/c cools it down.  The metal portion of the seat belts has been known to cause severe pain for many of us.  I can no longer open the windows at night and enjoy the fresh air – instead my house is closed and dark, windows shut, and shades pulled down to keep out the heat. 

Being from Arizona means learning how to deal with heat, and even if it comes sooner than we want, we know it is here to stay so we might as well find a way to enjoy it.