Musings on Heat

Ever since I moved to Texas, many people have asked me "What is worse: Arizona heat or Houston heat"?

It's not such an easy question to answer, but I think I now have it summed up.

Arizona heat is painful...seriously. Your skin literally cooks under the sun, since there isn't any moisture to act as a barrier (turn your oven to 400 deg and then put your face right in front of the door and open it...that's AZ during the summer day). You get burned faster. It also gets hotter earlier in the day (it was 100 degrees by 9:30am this morning). But it cools off nicely at night. Even if it only gets down to 80 at night, it still feels cooler because there is no humidity. You can actually sit outside and not become one with your chair.

Texas heat is miserable. You can't breathe because the air is so heavy and you are constantly feeling sweaty and stinky. It can feel deceptionally (is that a word?) cool when you first walk outside (especially in the shade)- but you spend 5 minutes outside and its "Whammo!"...nasty sauna heat. And it doesn't get cooler at night. I think the air actually gets heavier.

I will say that the "with the heat index" isn't always true. 104 in Houston (with the heat index) does NOT feel like 104 in Tucson/Phoenix. Again, this is because of the pain factor. AZ is worse.

So, both "heats" are pretty bad- just depends on which sensation you prefer: being roasted alive or being steamed alive.