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I'm a native too, though I've lived more in the "greater Phoenix area" than only Phoenix.

It is comically true how we tend to live in AC bubbles. On one hand, I completely understand. When the heat is so heavy that you can walk outside for 15 seconds, come back inside, and only then start sweating... I can't fault people for avoiding it as much as possible.

Growing up, I'd always shivver during the summer and sweat during winter. Places like schools and stores will blast their AC constantly so the entire building is the opposite of the temperature outside. Often I'll wear layers to get around it, putting on up to three shirts when going indoors for a longer period of time.

When I worked in construction for a year I learned how to safely work in 110°F heat. After that, I tried really hard to not adapt back to the colder weather, which is kind of hard when where I'm working requires me to bundle up during the summer as if it's winter because they keep it as cold as they can.

I love the state too.

> For example before you drive you “cool down your car”

This seems anathema to a location that is under threat of not enough water. If a city is willing to slow down construction because they don't have to water to support the growth, I can't imagine this is an accepted practice that you are actually promoting.

If you get into a car to pick a family member up in a 119 degree afternoon, your car’s internal temperature may very well be over 130 degrees.

Yes, you will splash some water on your car to make it tolerable to drive.

I live in Texas where it can also get to over 110°, and I have never seen anyone do this. We've all done the open the door, jump in to start the car, crank the AC, roll down the windows too. You gotta exhaust that baked air inside. It's so bad you avoid touching the car with bare hands. But again, not once would I think wasting water on the car would be a good idea or even a good thing to do.

It might be better to look at it as a "strategically timed" car wash. Its so dusty in the summer your windshield can be hard to see out of. We have little humidity in July. Just horrid oven like heat. We open the door and windows to get the air out too. Probably the lack of humidity in June / July allows this to work in a way it would not in non-desert places.

Also after a week or two over 115, 110 feels absolutely "cool" to us here in Phoenix. We really do say "Hey, today the high is only 110! Fall is coming!".

It's been a long time since I've seen someone so committed to something so obviously a terrible idea. You've doubled down and splits 8s with this while charging up a very odd hill to die on and whatever other cliche fits.

You remind me of the neighbor's teenage kid I once saw cleaning cut grass from the drive way with a garden hose sprayer. I still remember his dad realizing his failure in raising a kid with common sense and explaining what a waste in water it was, how expensive it was, and just illogical of a decision it was. I feel I've now become that dad.

It’s not terrible when it’s 119 in Phoenix. We also have green summer lawns that we water too. We live, the lawns help keep the interior of the city cool, as do the trees.

I’m sure many think it’s illogical to try to live on Phoenix. That’s alright, it’s our choice.

I'd be worried about eventually cracking glass from the extraneous, repeated, rapid thermal stress. Garage the car OR park in the shade OR put up a solar shade in the window, crack the windows, and/or crank the A/C before getting in. Also, don't have a car with a dark paint or interior, or metal seatbelt buckle housings.

Everybody puts solar shade reflectors in the front and side windows - else you’ll burn your hands on the steering wheel. Phoenix historic downtown homes don’t generally have garages and shade is hard to find. We always leave the windows cracked. It’s a very extreme environ akin to Death Valley and it’s hard to imagine if you haven’t lived through a summer here.

I've been around a bit, but I don't understand people who don't help themselves by practicing enough adaptive habits. My mom appears allergic to solar shades for some reason.

I gave up on those collapsible shades you have to take down and put somewhere in the car until the one day you're in a rush and put it in the trunk trying to make space or just hide it because it doesn't look cool on date night, but then you park to realize it's in the trunk but your in a hurry and decide you get it back out next time. Continuously for weeks.

I upgraded to the retractable ones that attach to the either side of the windshield. They were never put in the trunk ever again

The Sacramento/Davis, CA is almost as hot for not quite as long but with little humidity makes it tolerable.

OTOH, it's 93F and 63% humidity in Austin on June 1, 2024. It was 105-110F in 2023 for 4 months last summer. While tacos are the city's official food, but it's harder to find good authentic Mexican or Tex-Mex that isn't gourmet or hipsterized. Near San Anton has some fantastic authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants.

Yep. Heat is a great way to go on a "diet".

I keep a gallon bottle of water in the fridge premixed with sugar-free electrolyte powder. Cheaper than buying colored water and less calories.

It still for whatever reason blows my mind that a subset of society hasn't adjusted to functioning based on weather instead of clock/sunlight.

In a place like Phoenix that would/could mean the world shutting down 2PM-5PM instead of 2AM-5AM. 2AM should be when everybody is going out after dinner.

Covid only made this worse with the loss of 24h shopping, and 11PM cutoffs.

I live in the southwest as well and personally, I’ll take 110 and dry over 90 degrees and humid (Which covers most of the East Coast). The human body can actually cool down by evaporating sweat. The key is to get out of direct sunlight, drink lots of water, and avoid going out during the hottest part of the day.

> The human body can actually cool down by evaporating sweat.

I wonder what event in the near future will make the Google searchs for "wet bulb temperature" sky-rocket...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wet-bulb_temperature

Living in the extreme cold is very similar. You just have to accept that "outside" isn't a thing for 6 months a year. The problem comes when things break down or you lose access to housing. That gets dangerous very quickly.

I haven’t been to Phoenix. Do they prioritize trees with significant shade, or other architectural design features to help cope with it? I found Savannah to do this really well, but not a lot of other places in the south.

Due to lack of water large trees don’t naturally grow, but can be grown if cultivated. Older neighborhoods often have 30-40 foot trees like any other place, but natively nothing grows much higher than 15 feet or so. Phoenix only gets 8 inches of rain a year and is in constant drought so it takes effort to get anything bigger.

Architecture is just catching up to optimizing for shade. It’s really a shame. Parking lots are now being covered by solar panels, which is a great use of space.

> and washing the car by running the hose all over it

I can imagine this will become a real issue once water becomes more scarce...

No wonder youre running out of water