August in Phoenix: how hot?

Hi everyone,

I%26#39;m planning to spend my summer holidays in Arizona. We are going to land at Phoenix airport and stay 3 days in the city. How hot is it usually in August? I mean, do you reckon we can go horseriding during the day and visit the Zoo and other kids friendly places?

Thanks

August in Phoenix: how hot?

Last August (when we were there) it was 110 degrees in Phoenix. Too hot for us Brits to even walk. Buildings are all air conditioned, so you get a shock when you venture outside and the heat hits you.

It may not be too bad for you living in Milan (you may be more used to the heat than us in the UK), but we were talking to some Americans on the plane home and they were saying they had stayed in Phoenix with family and kept their kids in during the day because of the heat.

August in Phoenix: how hot?

I would guess that the *average* high temperature of any day in August is between 105F (41C) and 115F (45C). I know people say ';It%26#39;s a dry heat';. But dry heat or not, it is still HOT.

I would not recommend horseback riding during the day, perhaps in the evening. I would find some indoor activities to do during the day, or water-park type activities. Save the outdoor activities for very early morning or late evening.

And be sure to drink WATER, then some more WATER, and then even more WATER.

I agree with everyone else...high temps in August are almost always at least 100F, much closer to 110, and could easily be 115. It is also the monsoon season, so depending how heavy that ends up (the last few have been very minor), humidity could be higher with chances of afternoon thunderstorms.

I%26#39;d highly recommend getting to the Botanical Gardens and Zoo almost right when they open (I think around 7am). Most of the animals at the zoo will also take shelter during the day, so after 10 or so you won%26#39;t see too many. There are some indoor exhibits, so you can plan to do those last.

The Arizona Science Center in downtown Phoenix would be a great place to go with the kids during the day. It is fully indoors, with plenty of a/c....and many interactive exhibits for the kids. There%26#39;s a few other indoor things...the Challenger Space Center in Peoria:

http://www.azchallenger.org/

Here%26#39;s a link that has all museums in AZ, most (haven%26#39;t been to all) in the Phoenix area would be indoors:

http://www.azuswebworks.com/az/museums.html

Having lived here in the AZ deserts for 12+ years now, you learn to get up early if you need/want to do anything outside. I%26#39;ll get up around 5am to run, do yard work, etc.

You didn%26#39;t say where else you were going, but you could possibly consider at least a daytrip to other areas with lower temps too....many within an hour or two.

It should also be mentioned that it doesn%26#39;t really ever cool off in Phoenix in August -- it could very well be over 90 degrees (F) at 4am and over 100 by 8am. And it%26#39;s still well over 100 long after dark in most of the city, so it%26#39;s not like sunset brings any relief. I live here, I%26#39;m perfectly fine when my (born elsewhere) husband is miserably hot, and I can%26#39;t remember the last time I willingly planned an outdoor activity during August that did not involve a swimming pool.

I recommend doing things early in the am and later in the afternoon. Heck its still 80deg when the sun goes down. UGH! Do indoor activities mid day after 10am so it doesn%26#39;t drain you. Dehydration is your biggest concerned and getting sunburnt. Why don%26#39;t you come up north and visit the Grand Canyon :) Its cooler our highs in the summer are usually Phoenix lows.

I was there last August, and it%26#39;s was very very hot. A couple of days it got up to 120 degrees. We always vacation there in the summer because we like the heat, but we are usually inside during the heat of the day. We would swim in the morning before it got too hot, and then in the afternoon we would do out sightseeing which was mostly shopping or anything indoors. During the day you may not want to do much outside, unless it%26#39;s first thing in the morning. I say this from personal experience!

I lived in Phx for 30 years before moving back to my native Kentucky. On a visit back in 1995 a friend and I went to lunch at a buffet. She became ill, so asked the manager if she could take an apple and a banana with her for later. We left them in the car while we shopped - approx. 3 hrs. Upon our return, the car smelled wonderful - and with a bit of cinnamon the apple would have been fully cooked apple pie!

As I%26#39;ve grown older, I find temperature extreme intolerances increasing - so guess I%26#39;ll stay with the four seasons of Ky. - and my two beautiful granddaughters who live here!

tbb

You can still do things like ride horses and go to the zoo, but they are best done in the early morning hours. The sun is up at 5 AM in August here, so get out early (the zoo opens early in the summer if I recall), finish your outdoor activities before 10 AM and spend the rest of the day shopping indoors or lounging by the pool. Take a siesta and go back out after sunset. Don%26#39;t worry too much about the weather. It is very possible to have a great time in Phoenix in August if you make a few adjustments.

It is regularly over 90 at midnite.

The locals don%26#39;t even plan much outdoor stuff in August.

There is actually a night tour of Botanical Gardens with the full moon. Best tour anyway.

The locals all come up and visit Flagstaff (7000 ft.)

in the summer. And Sedona and Prescott are good stops.

both have horseback liveries, awesome country too.

Yes, you adjust to the weather. Growing up here you get used to staying either inside or in the pool during the day and plan either very early morning or evening activities. But, it is much hotter than it used to be, especially at night. It is usually still 90-100 at night. The Phoenix Zoo usually has night adventures during the summer also, check their website...