Atmosphere Comparison

[Jim]

The endless chatter of weather.

[Jim]

I hear we might get a freeze tonight.

[azbackpackr]

You are SUCH a brat! ;)

[PaleoRob]

UGH!!!!!!! Stop talking about COLD WEATHER!!!!!

Someone isn't looking forward to shoveling snow, I take it? ;)

[writelots]

UGH!!!!!!! Stop talking about COLD WEATHER!!!!!

Ah, Come on Lizes... There's only so much monsoon talk a board can handle before we all fall asleep!

[PLC92084]

How's this for irony... It's hotter here (San Diego - Poway) currently than Phoenix (96.8 °F vs 92.8 °F) - That's not supposed to happen, is it!?

[azbackpackr]

Poway? That's inland. But I hear it has been cold and dreary at the beach, and the water temp (I looked at the surf report since I am going out there in about a week) is between 62 and 65. Swells were nice but are dying down. Maybe that Baja hurricane will bump it up again, if the swells from it get there by the time I get there.

Don't get me started talking about Poway.

It's not the shoveling snow, since I don't do much of that. It's the fact that I can't wear shorts and Tevas. I hate the clothes I have to wear in winter to keep warm. I hate turtlenecks, sweaters, jackets, jeans: all that crap you have to put on.

I like the skiing, though. That part is fun.

[Jim]

See, you need a Sedona to go to. It makes winter around here tolerable, and the canyons are best with fresh snow.

[azbackpackr]

Yeah, true, the closest low elevation areas are pretty far away from here. Safford, Winkelman, Salt River, etc. I have to go at least 100 miles to get down to around 3,000 feet or so, I am pretty sure.

[writelots]

I have to go at least 100 miles to get down to around 3,000 feet or so, I am pretty sure.

Another reason Tucson sucks. 9,000' to 2,400' in 25 miles. I mean, really, where's the adventure ;)

[azbackpackr]

Another reason Tucson sucks. 9,000' to 2,400' in 25 miles. I mean, really, where's the adventure ;)

I know, it's amazing! I spent a week there recently, did a couple hikes. (I also lived there for 13 years.)

[chumley]

83 and light drizzle in Tempe today. That is almost just like winter!

[Sredfield]

White stuff on top of Humphrey's this afternoon, don't know if it was snow or hail.

[Jim]

This time of year with thunderstorms it would be hail.

[joebartels]

This time of year

you just answered your own question

[Jim]

Which question would that be?

[chumley]

Which question would that be?

I think he means "Is it Winter Yet?"

[joebartels]

[azbackpackr]

Baldy report later today. The forecast is not too balmy, it is for cloudiness and thunderstorms.

[writelots]

Woke up this am to a beautiful day... it was quite wonderfully cool. AND last night my cooler (which is on a thermostat) turned off. First time that's happened in WEEKS!

[Jim]

I suppose, that as Joe alluded, it is still summer and a snow discussion was a bit early. I guess I got a little excited looking a pictures from previous winters that had snow over rock. It was Chumley's fault, I swear. http://hikearizona.com/x.php?I=4&UID=&O ... 53387&ZTN=

So, I think a fall color discussion in conjunction with colder, drier weather is in order. We seem to be getting an early touch of that up here, and really, by mid September it is pretty much fall in Flagstaff. So it's just a couple of weeks now. By the last week of September we have hit a low in the teens in every of the last 4 Septembers I have lived here.

They are expanding the Apartment ghetto next to me. Last night I walked around the newest section they just opened up. I realize it probably has more to do with Warner's Nursery not maintaining the stock that they are shoving into the ground and calling "planting", but many of the ashes, maples, and locusts that they have "planted" are displaying colors and loosing their leaves. They were most likely just dried out, but they have the look of fall in them, and it was chilly last evening so it felt like fall. The aspens are still green for summer. My guess is that it was so wet this July and August in Flagstaff that we will need a good September dry out before colder air moves in to produce some good color. I hope to get some nice color on Elden and the Weatherford this fall. Snow might be variable and unreliable, but the leaves change every year.