Thursday, June 21, 2007

The Longest Day of the Year in Tucson

Ahhhh, the first day of summer in Tucson Arizona. In some parts of the country there's a lot of excitement about summer's official start. It signifies a sense of freedom; kids are finished with school and adults are taking vacation days to be outside and enjoy afternoon picnics or play in the pool. In Tucson you can enjoy these activities, but only before 10am or after 5pm. The hot sun rises early and sets late, making it difficult to spend time outdoors without developing at least a few symptoms of heat exhaustion. During my 5am runs, I see many a coyote or javalina making their rounds before the sun rises. How wise they are!
In Arizona the spring, summer and fall seasons mesh together, just one extremely hot day after the next. Today's official high was "only" 108 degrees (so says the weather man!) , but once the temperature reaches 98 degrees, I can't tell the difference. Yes, it's a dry heat, and unless you have relocated here from a humid climate, you might not appreciate this description. But a "dry heat" is very tolerable, as long as you are consuming the recommended amount of water and wearing lots of sunscreen. These extreme temperatures do force Arizonans to plan their schedules accordingly. For example, if you're trekking out to the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum between May and October, you better be there before 8am if you hope to see any wildlife. After the sun begins to rise, the animals head in for their daily naps. Once they're napping, there is not a lot to see, unless you like to spend your time in the bird sanctuary!
And so our summer has officially begun, but I won't complain. As I watch the weather forecasts for New York ( I didn't know they have tornadoes in New York!) and Chicago (ummm...cool and rainy, okay I'm jealous!), I remember what Tucson has to offer. Our fair city enjoys about 325 days of sunshine a year, and from November to late April, our temperatures average between 70 to 80 degrees. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there is a better climate anywhere in the continental United States. And so as the sun sets on this longest day of the year, I'll push thru the Arizona summer knowing that there are better days ahead.
As you might guess, there aren't many tourists visiting Arizona in the summer, so the Tucson Real Estate market tends to be a little slow from June thru September. That's why it's the best time to buy! The Tucson housing market really picks up in early Fall when cooler temperatures around the rest of the country cause everyone to think of Tucson's mild and sunny winters. A seasonal home in Tucson, where one can escape the frigid winter storms of the East coast to relax with a round of golf in 75 degree temperatures. It's a very popular concept! The best time to buy a home in Tucson is in the summer when inventory is higher and EVERYONE is avoiding the heat.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

In some parts of the country there's a lot of excitement about summer's official start.
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Julie
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