Winter in Phoenix

It was like a vestige as a hummingbird fluttered in the blooming plant in my entryway as I left my Phoenix home for the last time in January. I remember conscienciously thinking «good bye palm tree, good bye outdoor swimming pool, good bye golf course, good bye», as I drove away and headed for my dismal hotel by the airport. Though a great adventure was ahead of me, I couldn’t help but drop a tear as I watched my last Phoenix sunset for a long time. It radiated pink and purple that day as if it was putting on a show just for me, with Camelback and the Papagoes as the backdrop.
The people, oh the fabulous people that inhabit Phoenix, come to life in winter. We have events, parties and conventions that are hard to beat… The Waste Management Open, The Super Bowl and even the nerdy International Science and Engineering Fair. And I can’t leave out the anticipation of spring training Cactus League baseball. People flock to us in winter be it for the sunshine or whatever, I personally think it is for the nice people. Don’t listen to the foolish news, that loves to talk of our strange politics… I guess that is part of the allure in this wild part of the west as well.
If you venture to the beautiful valley of the sun in winter, don’t be foolish and forget a coat. It may be sunny by day, but until the sun comes up there is frost on the ground. This is after all a desert and it’s mood swings in winter are no joke!
If it chances to rain, a few days later go for a hike. The blooming cacti and desert flora will fill your nose with the most amazing pungent tropical smells.
As I sit here freezing with a jacket, boots and scarf on at a train station typing this review, the thought of Phoenix in winter makes me smile and warm inside.

Having lived in many cold weather climates throughout my years I have come to a realization, I am not a fan of shoveling snow. Seriously, who wants to do that? You start at one end of your property and by the time you finish you have to start all over again!
Yeah, shorts on Christmas is a nice bonus too. Seriously, Phoenix in the winter is the bees knees.

Winter in Phoenix, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. When I am sweating in 120 degree summer weather, I think longingly to the 7 months out of the year that are a delicious 75 degrees.
I love the smell of winter in Phoenix, yes the smell. It smells like orange blossoms and this perfume scent surprises me with every twist and turn.
While I hate how they drive (can we please have a driving lane designated for snow birds?), I love how they make the streets come alive and make the businesses, events and festivals come together for entertainment of every shape and size.
I love that I can wear sundresses in December.
I love how I can climb Camelback Mountain in the dead of winter wearing nothing but shorts and a light pullover.
I love all the events that happen, including the Fiesta Bowl, WM Open, Barrett Jackson and Spring Training.
I love waking up in the morning and opening up my doors to a fresh breeze and birds chirping.
I love that I can host parties on my patio in December.
I love that I can read a book on my patio in December.
I don’t love the cost of living in the winter, but I do love that because of the tourist population in the winter months, the resorts can offer steal of deals in the summer for their loyal locals.
I don’t care what your opinion of Phoenix is. This city has amazing weather the majority of the year, tourists flock here to visit and we have every type of terrain just a drive away. #liveandlovelocal

What is not to love ?? I have been living my winter’s here since 2012.
I didn’t realize i was a sun-​bird (until Fred F. pointed it out to me, I miss Fred!!) and the title fits .
As a native of the east coast for 45 yrs freezing my tukhus off, i can attest to the fact that to be out and about in December is a beautiful thing, no doldrums of blah, blecky gray skied weather, just smiling sunshine raining down upon me. My car looks shiny and salt free, and the nightmare of black ice is just a bad memory .
I won’t lie and say i don’t miss wearing my mink coats (from Oct-​Mar), and that the holiday season here takes some getting used to (only because i equate cold with Christmas tree’s and decorations) still, trading in my minks in Dec. for super cool Pashmina’s and cute capelettes wasn’t that hard to do… and what native Phoenicians find freezing temps here at night, i find to be a cozy just right chill that is totally bearable to walk around in, and sleeping .mmmm, just right !
And not for nothing, but. Saguaro’s decked out in lights is simply gorgeous !
And if i ever find myself longing for a little more nip in the air or snow… well, that’s what a ski weekend in Vail is for …
Love it !

Winter has the shortest days of the year. The shortest days of the year here have some of the best weather. So, this location in the country has some of its best days as its shortest days — how sad is that? It’s like finding your favorite pizza, but you can’t have a full meal.
Snowbirds ruin everything — restaurants, movie theatres, highways, shopping, parking, etc. The old saying is a good one… so many snowbirds, yet so little freezer space. Go away snowbirds, go away.

Distance makes the heart grow fonder, right?

Dear Winter in Phoenix,
PLEASE DON’T LEAVE ME. I loved you all over again this weekend.
Signed,
Averse to Psychotic Heat Monsters and Seatbelt Sweat Stripes

Wait, what? Winter is over? I… didn’t even know it had come.
Winters in Michigan are spawned by the devil himself. They are demonic devices used to torture people on the east side of the country, for whatever reason.
Why would such a thing as frozen car door handles even exist? Who does that to people? The devil, that’s who.
Where does ‘Black Ice’ come from? That’s not even a normal type of ice. Only the devil can conjure up something like that.
And what about freezing windshields? Huh? Who freezes the windshield… INSIDE OF THE FREAKIN’ CAR!!!
THE DEVIL, THAT’S WHO!!!
Seriously, the winters here make the blistering summers an afterthought. This is as close to paradise as is possible on Earth. I couldn’t believe that I was able to give away my winter coat for good.
Hoodies as coats. No need for Lugz boots. Thermal underwear shouldn’t even be sold here.

Don’t go Winter. Please. Pretty please. I mean I know you have to go eventually. To make way for your evil twin. Summer. That bitch. I’m just asking if you can linger until July 4^th. Then I’ll be ready for three digit temps, scorching sun rays and melting steering wheels. I just want to party with your 70 degree self a wee bit longer. Thanks for listening Winter. You’ve been good to me so far…

Goodbye. Winter 09 we barely knew thee! It’s time for Spring, pack away your sweaters, get out your shorts!

12.31.08
Dear Slush Puddles in the South End,
I’m so sorry to hear you are getting 10 inches of snow on New Year’s Eve. I know how much of a pain it is to have an awesome outfit all planned out only to have to prepare it for the snow. I know that getting a cab on a night like this can be an impossible feat.
May your closed toe shoes not get messed up, may your hair style stay in place in the snow and wind, may the bouncer at the bar/​club not make you wait for long outside and may you not step in any slush puddles over a foot deep. Chin up, NYE only means 4 more months of winter!
Happy New Year!
Love,
Bare legs and open toes in Phoenix

I’m tired of the rain and cold. In Phoenix. I’ve got my electric blanket on and even my dog is sleeping on the bed to keep warm!
Why does it seem colder this year? Why are my knuckles cracking? Why do I need a hot bath every night to warm up before bedtime?
Why?
Why?
Why?
Still better than Buffalo, that’s for sure!

Seriously.
This
kicks
ass.
I just talked to my sister, who informed me that in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, it is –30*.
But at the same time, I’m still wondering how I’ll make it through summer. We didn’t get here until July this year.
Eek.

I love winter in Phoenix. The cold, the rain, the clouds — I LOVE CLOUDY DAYS.
I don’t like what winter brings with it, though — Uggs.
Seriously, girls, you looking fucking ridiculous. It’s 55 outside and you’re wearing huge furry boots. If you tried that shit somewhere up north when it was 55 degrees, you’d get laughed out of town.
I get it. You think they look cool and you’re dying to wear them. But you know what? You live in Arizona. You don’t get to wear huge, fuzzy boots. Get over it.

I’ve lived in Arizona for 26 years, since childhood. Every single day of every single winter, like a faithful lover, I’ve spent a few seconds thinking about how much I adore and cherish this most awesome perfect and beautiful phenomenon known as our winter.
Only after writing that sentence did I realize I’d subconsciously borrowed the theme used in Mr K’s review. But I’m not changing it, because I feel exactly the same way he does. Fortunately, Winter in Phoenix is a big girl so there’s a whole lot of her to go around for all of us to share.
For you cold-​staters, please don’t laugh at us locals for wearing our silly peacoats and (for women) scarves and furry boots. Some of us actually enjoy wearing «winter clothing» and, by your standards, unless we take road trips or flights would never have the opportunity to do so.
How simply grand is it that I accidentally left my favorite coat at a friend’s house in Tucson last week, and even though it’s a bone-​chilling 55 degrees outside every day I can choose to live without it and get by with… literally… a t-​shirt. I wore a t-​shirt all day today as I ran around town doing errands. If I had my coat I probably would’ve worn that. I have the freedom to make such arbitrary and random decisions. Because of WIP.

I went for a long walk today wearing my winter wear of light coat, long sleeves, jeans and boots… oh and a tiny light scarf, with the sun shining in the weather just cold enough.
I like the snuggling at night too (OH WHAT A DORK)…without all the «Jesus Christ, why the fuck is it so goddamned COLD» and refusing to get out of bed in the morning cause I know the floor is gonna be goddamned cold… then I’m gonna take a hot shower and start crying when I get out of the bathroom cause it is gonna be even colder, crying like a naughty new inmate in a 70s soft porn jail chick flick, begging G-​d to just let me put on my clothes without peeing myself for warmth.
And bike rides are nice too.

Ahhh, Phoenix winters. Just nice enough to justify buying entire lots of «light sweaters» and just cold enough to give me a cold every two weeks from wearing said sweaters.
Winter, my weakened immune system and I commend you.

I’ll use the word «winter» loosely, for, you see, winter isn’t winter to me without some sort of white falling flakes from the sky. Nor is it winter without some sort of annoyance, like scrapping frost off your windshield or slipping on the occasional ice patch. Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t miss bruised tail bones or shivering to my bones while I wait for my car to heat up. I do, however, miss the change — the crispness in the air, the stark white backdrop to a new day, the trees bending under the weight of Mother Nature. I miss the cycle: life, death, rebirth, celebration.
Extract all that from my brain (my own frame of reference) and I’ll agree: Phoenix is absolutely great between the months of December and April. May’s not even that bad, but can you call May a «winter» month?
That’s where I become disgruntled. You see, December weather in Phoenix is like fall weather where I used to live. October weather in Phoenix is like spring. I can’t seem to keep track of my days here. Months cease to matter. I don’t like that very much.
Add in the concept of «hot as ballz» during the summertime, and any months outside the range of absurdity are going to seem like pure bliss. But, c’mon, it’s all relative.
Sure, I may rate «winter» in Phoenix 4 stars, but that’s only because it’s the only time of the year I don’t feel like I’m drowning in my own sweat. It’s the only time of the year I can enjoy walking outside, exploring Central Phoenix and other pockets of interest. It’s the only time I can expect to need (hopefully) an umbrella (minus the scary monsoon season) or thicker jacket. Maybe even a scarf and gloves! It’s the only time I will get to see my own breath, lingering long enough in front of my nose to remind me that, let’s face it, these cooler temps are only temporary. What awaits around the corner is the worst kind of pain. Oh, the torment. Oh, the antagonizing sun. Oh, the hell that’ll never end. Summer, how I rue thee!

Today I am writing from NY. Here is a Haiku to describe the situation:
29 degrees
Jet Blue take me to AZ
It’s cold as balls here

Te amo invierno en Phoenix.
J’aime l’hiver Phoenix.
Ich liebe Winter in Phoenix.
The winter makes me enamored so, so much so that I want to proclaim I love winter in Phoenix in romance languages.
Let’s face it. We all love this time of year as the 70 degree days makes us the envy of the nation for a few months. Here are some additional reasons to love Winter in Phoenix beyond the obvious great weather.
* Outdoor festivals galore
* Luminarias at the Desert Botanical Garden
* MLB Spring Training in March
* PF Changs Rock n Roll Marathon
* Endless hiking opportunities
* FBR Open and the Bird’s Nest
* Hotties from Minnesota and Chicago who are snowbirding it (I’d hit it)
And best of all…
* The hibernation of Swamp-​Ass until April.