Arizona Weather Observations

Okay, we've been here more than a month now, and the kids have been in school for 4 weeks.  Here are some of the things I've noticed in Arizona:

1. Weather Alert Radio: it's not just a test.  I've heard at least half a dozen "emergency alert" buzzes for storms.  I don't remember ever hearing any in Houston, even when Ike was blowing into town.  However, they don't interrupt the entire morning's broadcasting schedule to show you that it is raining.  Houston, take a memo!

2. Today there is a flash flood alert for much of the South East Valley...one community registered 2.8" rain.  Huh? A couple weeks after Brianna was born there was a storm with 22" of rain.  Of course, in AZ, 2.8" is a whole monsoon season's worth of rain.

3. I love the doggie door...except on days like today when it's raining...and the dog comes in with wet paws...

4.  Haboobs:  those are those big dust storms that blow into the valley.  Yesterday I was in one that was 2500 feet tall and I think they said 30 miles across.  Watched it approach when I went to pick Matt up from football.  It's just wild to watch.  Kind of like fog...but made of dust/dirt.  Visibility reduced to less than 1/2 mile.  In some cases, Much less.

5. I don't care what anyone says, there's no such thing as a dry heat...hot is hot.  The sweat runs down the small of your back when you walk a dog if it's a hundred outside regardless of how much humidity there is.  And you need a shower after the walk either way.  Also the reason why the dog hasn't gotten as many walks.

6. It's hard to understand the term "cooling trend" when the weather is going down to 103 degrees.  A couple days ago the weather man said "notice the cooling trend" while the weather chart showed one day at 106 degrees and the next to 103 degrees.  How is that cool, and how is it a trend?

7. I'm becoming addicted to the Food Network and HGTV.   What does this have to do with the weather, you say?  Think about it...