As loyal readers know, this is my second time making my home in Arizona. I lived here from 2000-09, went back to Texas then moved back to the Valley of the Sun this past February.
Matt Loeschman
One thing these two states have in common: the heat. I will never forget my first time in Arizona, flying out to Phoenix in the summer of 2000 to find a place to live. Once I got off the plane, I hit the heat wall — the temperature that day was a balmy 115 degrees!
I had to ask someone whether this 115 number was the exception or the rule. Fortunately, they told me, it was more the former than the latter — I literally arrived in Phoenix on the hottest day of 2000.
What I found in the first few weeks of living here was yes, the heat was torrid and sometimes close to unbearable. But that’s quite alright since we have virtually no humidity.
That’s the biggest problem with growing up on the Texas Gulf Coast south of Houston — it’s the humidity capital of the world. Sometimes you walk outside and a minute later, you feel like you’re in the shower. It is almost like you can cut the air with a butter knife. I tell people all the time, “I will always take 110 degrees with 10-percent humidity over 95 degrees with 95-percent humidity.” It’s no contest.
So as we perspire through more and more 110-plus degree days this summer, just remember — it’s a dry heat.
On a side note, thank you to readers who have taken the time to send in story ideas over the past few weeks. I wrote about this topic in a previous column and have been pleased with the results so far. After I review a submission, I am forwarding the ideas to reporter Chris Caraveo so he can take the next steps into possibly formulating a front-page piece based on the story idea.
I can always be reached at mloeschman@newszap.com. Keep those submissions coming.
Matt Loeschman is the news editor of the Daily News-Sun.
Matt Loeschman
