Rainy day on Thursday.
One thing I noticed about living in Arizona is the weather. We have more of it than in Palm Springs, where I used to live. How can you have MORE weather you might ask? There’s more variety. Look at yesterday. We woke up to rain while it was sunny and warm in Palm Springs. Then in the afternoon we had wind. The past few days we had lows of 28 degrees. Never had that in Palm Springs. We even get an occasional snow day. We had that once out of 30 years in Palm Springs. Plus, at our new home, there are monsoons and haboobs to mix it up.
When I first moved to the Palm Springs area, every morning I’d watch the weather forecast before getting dressed. My husband asked me what I was doing.
“Checking the weather,” I explained. In Seattle, I did that to know what to wear.
“Let me give you a hint,” he said. “Sunny and warm or sunny and hot.”
As a former Seattle-ite, I hated rain. After living in the desert for more than 30 years, I love every bit of rain we get.
There’s an area nearby us that doesn’t have water. The water pipes don’t make it there. Scottsdale was trucking in water to that unincorporated residential area. Can you imagine buying a home and running out of water within a few years? There was a big controversy when Scottsdale cut off supplying water. Residents were drilling wells, but instead of a few dozen yards deep, they were going down hundreds of feet with nothing. I read one horse rancher has a well 800 feet deep, and the water is only 100 feet above the bottom of his well.
Eventually Scottsdale settled with the area and they are supplying water again.
I wondered when we bought our home, why the address was Scottsdale, because it’s a little cutout north of Scottsdale and technically could be in another town. I don’t question it anymore, because I’m happy to have the water and city services Scottsdale provides. We did look at a few homes in unincorporated areas. I’m so glad we didn’t buy outside of city limits.
Palm Springs and the surrounding area is on an aquifer with supposedly unlimited water. Or at least a few-hundred years supply. They also have a number of settling ponds that capture rainfall which allows it to settle back into the aquifer.
I think one of the issues with water in the Phoenix area are the tech companies who have built facilities here.
Here’s a snippet I found about tech companies in the greater Phoenix area and water:
Water, one of the most important elements in the semiconductor manufacturing process, has always been a precious resource in Arizona. Its conservation and management have been a priority for generations, even predating statehood. More than any other state, Arizona understands the importance of long-term planning — it was the first to project its water supply 100 years into the future and remains one of the only states in the nation to do so. This proactive approach to water management ensures that any new developments have access to water for generations to come.
This commitment to transparency and resiliency in water management is vital for semiconductor manufacturers. Companies like Intel and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company chose to grow in Greater Phoenix because it provides a strategic location, stable energy grid and skilled workforce, but these location decisions also rely on the availability and reliability of water. Arizona’s commitment to resilient water management and transparency in long-term planning gives companies confidence in the region’s future.
https://inbusinessphx.com/technology-innovation/water-key-resource-in-greater-phoenix-and-the-semiconductor-industry
Thursday’s weather on my iphone.
Our small cacti are wearing styrofoam hats to keep warm during our freezing nights.
What do you like or dislike about your weather?
Are there any issues with water in your area? If so, what are they?
You see so much rain in your area and we have so much rain in St.Maarten yesterday. Anita
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I love the rainy days here in Phoenix, and the rare snow day. I’ve been in meetings with colleagues on the east coast, and Phoenix has actually be colder than DC throughout the week, which shocks everyone.
SRP has done amazing work with managing the water supply, buy it still makes me nervous. About 8 years ago, when volunteering with the city of Scottsdale, we met the risk manager for Maricopa county and asked what his plan are if there is a disaster in Phx metro…the second he catches wind, he’s fleeing with his family because few will survive if there’s any direct or indirect strain on the water supply. Along with the nuclear plant, the Salt River Project is considered a high ROI target for terrorists. The likelihood of an attack is hopefully quite low, but the consequences could be deadly. Sorry to be a downer! I honestly don’t think that’ll ever be an issue, but may be interesting to you.
It is interesting because I never heard of the Salt River Project being a target. I didn’t know there was a nuclear plant at all. There was one near us in So Cal that was thought to be a target. Eventually it got shut down which added to rolling black outs.
I think anywhere we live is going to have risks and assets, right? The Palo Verde plant is about 40 miles west of Phoenix, if I recall correctly, and is the largest nuclear plant in the country. Back around 9/11, there were overblown fears for months about an attack on the nuclear plant and how it would wipe out the entire county… I hadn’t thought about that in so long, but it was a very real fear in my little 12-year-old brain.
I am embarrassed to say I have never heard of it. Yes, that’s exactly when the nuclear plant in San Onofre was discussed as a possible target. We went as far as to buy pills that were supposed to protect us in case it was attacked.
LOL, sorry, I think we are outdoing your rain. Major snow storm right now in Chicago. Howling winds. Lots of shoveling to come. It’s a heavy snow/rain. Winter is here that’s for sure! Enjoy your day!
I sure won’t be shoveling any snow! Have a nice day, too.
I’m glad you have rain. It’s true that in Seattle it rained every so often. Here we have to many hot months. So if the heat lessens a bit, I’d be happier
We have hot summers in Arizona, but it’s cooler from Palm Springs.
I don’t mind summer if it’s a little bit shorter.
We always spend time at the beach in the summertime to get out of the heat.
No beaches here. The only body of water near is a rapidly drying river ( Ravi) due to damming of its water by our neighbor country.
That’s horrible.
Yes, international politics at play here.
😡
🥲
We’re at 25F or lower so no rain! Winds are pushing temps to well below zero in places.
That is too cold!
Yes it is! I just went out to fill bird feeders, had to walk through the snow and the chunks from my boots froze instantly to the sidewalk by my door😬
Yikes! That is amazing.
We have about 3 days of this apparently…
That’s enough, right?
LOL. More than enough for me!!!!
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The styrofoam hats on the cactus are adorable. Like a cartoon almost.
What do you like or dislike about your weather? Pollen, it makes me crazy itchy and twitchy at certain times of year.
Are there any issues with water in your area? If so, what are they? No water issues around here. In fact that’s how many chambers of commerce lure businesses to the region, we have plentiful water.
I like the cacti hats, too! Some neighbors put Santa hats on the larger cactus. I don’t think our pollen is too bad in the desert. You’re lucky to have plenty of water. I think that’s what attracted all the semiconductor plants here, but there’s been too much growth. Water may become an issue.
It can get ugly cold in February and July and August are hideously humid. Yuck
Interesting that it’s February rather than January. Although the snow days I’ve had in Arizona have been in February. Hot and humid isn’t fun. I’d laugh when I’d complain about Palm Springs summers and would be met with “but it’s a dry heat.” Yeah. 124 and dry.
Oh my gosh…the styrofoam hats on the cactus (cacti) — adorable. We’re in between snowstorms up north…calm-ish now, so we’re clearing the sidewalks and deck but round #2 is apparently en route. Not my favorite weather, for sure. 🥰
Good luck with your second storm. I thought it was going to snow yesterday, it was so cold and rainy — but not cold enough. The cacti can freeze from the top, so when the temperatures drop we give them a little insulation. Our neighborhood has several homes with Santa hats on saguaro.
Love it! Santa hats on the saguaros! 🥰
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I get very excited about rain too. We’ve had some this fall and winter but not nearly enough. I think the water issue here in the southwest is going to get even more serious very quickly. Drinking water for humans or semiconductor manufacturing? Hmmm… how will the powers-that-be decide?
That is a crazy thought. Drinking water vs. semiconductors…not good!
I would also worry about those tech companies using too much water. I was reading about server “farms” that Microsoft and other companies have in Virginia and how much power they use. It’s astonishing the amount of resources that go into running our digital lives.
I love our weather here, including four seasons and 300+ days of sunshine. Wouldn’t trade it, unless I become incapable of enjoying the snow. Having to shovel, but not play would be a bad thing.
Isn’t it amazing how natural resources are used for our digital life? You’d think it would all be green. Snow is gorgeous so long as I don’t have to drive in it.
Wow, what a contrast with Seattle for sure! The water rights and water management issues are so interesting. It reminds me of the couple of weeks I spent living in the jungle (when I was in college) and how much work it was to get water. This post is such a good reminder of what a necessary and precious resource it is!
Definitely different than Seattle. When we moved to Arizona I had no idea that water could be an issue because of the aquifer in Palm Springs. I took water for granted.
Once, I tried to go roses and I got a book to help guide me through it. It was targeted at laypeople such as myself, and the only thing I really remember from it is that it explained really well what to do, and had these caveats of “but if you live in Arizona where even lizards seek shade”… 🤣
I had a rose garden in Palm Springs mostly in the shade. It is 7 or 8 degrees hotter than where we are in Arizona. Yes we all look for shade!
Your property is so beautiful! I love the gator near the pool.
Thank you. Mostly everything including the two gators came with the house.
Wow, that is wonderful. Sometimes when I am bored and looking out the window while writing I think of all the stories of the husband and I finding the plants, the black stone cobra, the turtle…I would want to take it all with us but that is not always possible! But for now, we are staying and the view is there for us along with the memories.
That’s nice you have so many good memories in your yard.
Freezing temps and Phoenix/Scottsdale don’t seem to go together! Our weather? Well, today it struggled to get to 0F and the wind chills were well below zero. Oh, and we have snow. One more day of this before our temps rise to 30F. Not a fan. 🤣
That’s way colder than what we have! Zero is not something I’d like! We are north of downtown Scottsdale by about 40 minutes at elevation 3,000. I think that’s why we get cold weather. We’re usually colder than Scottsdale proper and Phoenix.
California has been struggling with drought for many years but in our area we’ve had good rain for several years now and we seem to be in good shape for now. I’m with you. I love the rain. The more the better. I can never complain about the weather in the Bay Area, it’s fabulous, mild, and rarely extreme. I’m glad you bought within the city limits. Smart decision. Hugs, C
The last few times I’ve visited our kids in Berkeley there was rain. It’s good to hear you’ve recovered from the drought. I especially like where we found our home because it’s across the street from the largest urban preserve in the country — and within Scottsdale city limits.