There was a time, not long ago, when visitors from the Midwest, northeast, north central states and Canada could visit Arizona during the winter months and get away from the snow and cold back home. It was almost certain, that in the Sonoran desert region of Arizona, winter visitors could be assured of temps in the 70s and blue skies.
Not any more.
After 7 months of dangerously hot temperatures during the long summer, even Arizona locals yearn for the temperate winter climate, but that has changed. In a world, where we are told that the earth’s atmosphere is heating, nobody bothered to tell Arizona.
Yet, it almost seems like somebody, maybe in the state government or Chamber of Commerce, can control the weather. December of 2022 and January of 2023, in the Phoenix area, were substantially colder months than normal. In January, the majority of days were 13 to 14 degrees colder than historic averages. December was colder also. Early February was also colder, with only a couple of days in the low 70s. Then, as if by magic, when Super Bowl LVII was broadcast to the world, that one day was sunny and 79. The following day, when the television cameras were put away, it dropped 26 degrees and was overcast. Funny how that works.
Northern Arizona has had one snow storm after the next. The administration in Washington claims that Arizona is under a statewide draught, but local hydrologists would contest that claim. The enormous snowpack and constant rain have filled reservoirs, aquafers and rivers. One commentator on local news this morning referred to it as “endless winter.” Cold and rain.
So, for all of those visitors, who have looked forward to escaping the long, cold winters of the north and northeast, and coming to the desert of Arizona for sun tanning weather; thing again. There hasn’t been a really good “pool day” yet this winter. There have been only a handful of days that a person would lay out on a lounge chair. It seems like Arizona is caught in a global ice age. No global warming in sight.
For those of us, who are locals, we look forward to outdoor activities like art fairs, that normally would occur from December through March and were normally always under blue skies and warm temps. I was supposed to go to one of those art fairs this weekend, but while there might be a brief respite from the rain and cold, it is predicted that we will have more strong winds, which never works well with outdoor art and tents.
This is Arizona in 2023; just another cold, damp and wintery state. Sorry.
