Dear Tom,
We will be visiting relatives in Mesa, Ariz., in July or August. How hot can we expect it to be?
Al and Carol Glueckert
Dear Al and Carol,
The desert climates of the Southwest might seem attractive to Midwesterners desiring to escape harsh winters and to those who enjoy hot, dry summer weather–but many fail to realize the intensity of Arizona’s desert heat.
You will experience it firsthand when you visit Mesa, because July and August are the city’s hottest months and the peak season for triple-digit heat. Mesa’s average daily high temperature in July is 104(degrees) and in August it is 102(degrees), and it would not be unusual to have 100(degrees)-plus readings every afternoon in those months.
But perhaps the real measure of heat intensity is 110(degrees) or higher, and Mesa usually experiences that on several days in July and August.
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Tom Skilling is chief meteorologist at WGN-TV. His forecasts can be seen Monday through Friday on WGN-TV News at noon and 9 p.m.
Write to: ASK TOM WHY, 2501 Bradley Pl., Chicago, IL 60618 or asktomwhy@wgntv.com (Mail volume precludes personal response.)
WGN-TV meteorologists Steve Kahn, Richard Koeneman and Paul Dailey plus weather producer Bill Snyder contribute to this page.
