Can anyone who lives in Arizona please help me?

Question

I have family members who are moving there soon from New Jersey. Please answer any of these questions.

Is it really true that the air in Arizona is really clean?

Does it get too cold there (below freezing makes them sick)?

If you've been to Jersey, is Jersey better or worse than AZ?

Sorry, i feel dumb asking this, are there really cactuses there and tumbleweed?

If you live in Arizona... what's your overall opinion of your city... do you like it there?

Thanks!

Answer 1

The answers to your questions depends on which part of Arizona you are talking about - it is a big state and there are big differences in weather, temperature, plant life, community styles, etc. depending on which part of the state you are in.

Northern Arizona (main towns are Flagstaff and Prescott) is at a high elevation (5,000-7,000 feet) with mountains and pine trees. They frequently get snow (often 6-12 inches at a time in Flagstaff) and freezing temperatures in winter, but it is still milder than the mid-west or northeast. Summer weather is great, low humidity and the temp rarely reaches 100. Flagstaff has a ski resort 20 miles out of town. Both towns have strong artist and outdoor enthusist communities and Flagstaff has a major university. The biggest problem with these towns is the relatively high cost of living and relatively few high paying jobs.

The central and western part of the state is lowland desert, mostly under 2500 feet elevation. The main city is Phoenix and its many suburbs (Tempe, Chandler, Mesa, Glendale, Scottsdale, Gilbert). Winters are mild (rarely below 50s during the day), but summers can be very hot (often over 110).

Southern and southeastern Arizona are rolling hills and highland deserts, broken by ridges of mountains. Temperatures are on the warm side, but a little milder than Phoenix. They sometimes get a brief dusting of snow in winter, but only a handful of freezing nights each winter. The major city is Tucson, but most of the towns in this area are smaller, rural farming and retirement places.

Both central Arizona (Phoenix) and parts of southern Arizona (Tucson) do have lots of cactus including the big saguros, prickypears and chollas. There are also plenty of tumbleweeds, but you don't see them that much in towns - mostly in big open empty stretches (you often see them blowing across the interstate when driving between Phoenix and Tucson on windy days). The Arizona deserts are not like the deserts you sometimes see on TV with the endless sand dunes though - there are usually palo verde and mesquite trees, plus brittle brush, desert mallow, ocotillo and cresote bushes - the desert vegitation can actually be quite pretty - especially when wildflowers bloom in the spring.

Rattlesnakes are found in the desert areas, but usually not in town. Coyotes are common everywhere in the state, but they generally don't hurt people. Scorpions do live in the desert areas, but it is not as bad as the poster above makes it sound. They tend to be a problem in specific zones around the Phoenix area, while other places have none at all (I have lived in 4 different locations in Phoenix over the last 15 years and have not found even one in any of my homes ever).

Arizona used to famous for its clean air and in the 1920s and 30s doctors back east used to send patients with breathing problems here. However, that has changed quite a bit. Many people have planted non-native plants and trees (especially in the big cities) and this has led to a lot of pollen problems for people with allergies (contrary to what the poster above says). Phoenix has very bad air pollution problems due largely to the large amount of car traffic (similar to LA) and the surrounding hills and ridges with hold it in place. We often have 'Air Quality Advisory Warnings' during the winter when people with breathing problems are warned not spend a lot of time outside. Outside of the Phoenix and Tucson areas however, the air in the rest of the state is pretty clean.

As for the different cities:

Phoenix (and suburbs of Tempe, Mesa, Scottsdale, Gilbert, Chandler, Glendale) - All of the above towns are lumped together (can't tell where one ends and another begins). Phoenix is a big sprawling sea of houses and shops with no real center and rapid growth in all directions with open land. Everyone travels by car (there is very little public transportation) which leads to bad traffic and air pollution.

Because everything is so new (compared to towns back east) there is no strong sense of history or culture here - no historic district, no strong arts movement, few neighborhood cafes or shops that have been owned by the same family for 3 generations. It is all similar-looking tract housing developments and nearly identical strip malls filled with big national chains stores and cafes. Unlike San Francisco with its hills and cable cars or Chicago with its blues bars or New York City with its skyscrapers and all-night diners, there is nothing unique or special about Phoenix that gives it an identity - nothing special to here that you can't find anywhere else. One writer described it as a city with no real soul and I would have to agree.

Contrary to what a poster above said, there is a lot of industry and jobs in the Phoenix area (one the best job rates in the country and the reason so many people live here). Much of it centers around high-tech (Intel, Motorola, Google and Microchip all have major plants here), medicine and health, construction and real estate, finance (American Express and Discover Card have major facilities here) and business related to tourism or retirees.

Tucson is a kinder, gentler version of Phoenix and much more in touch with its historical and cultural roots (it was found by the Spanish back in 1776). It has more long time family owned shops and cafes, nice parks and museums and a more friendly, laid-back feel (although so much growth has occurred in the last few years that it is starting to become more and more like Phonix). Tucson also has the advantage of being next to several tall mountains which allow people to escape up to the cool pine trees within hours. People that just visit Tucson briefly sometimes think it looks rundown or dumpy, but everybody that I know who has lived there for an period really like it (usually much more than Phoenix).

Flagstaff, Prescott and Payson (northern part of the state) are much smaller than Phoenix or Tucson and are really more towns than cities. They both have many historic buildings, nice little shops and cafes, and are close many outdoor attractions like lakes, campgrounds and National parks and monuments. They are becoming popular with retirees and people looking for vacation homes. There biggest disatvantage as a place to live is that the cost of living is a bit on the high side and there are few high paying jobs. If I could get a decent job there, I would much rather live in Flagstaff or Prescott.

Answer 2

I am living temporarily in Phoenix (from Illinois). The warm temps are nice, for example I went swimming this past weekend, while folks at home got snow. It gets VERY hot during the summer, to the point where you start sweating as soon as you walk out the front door. It never got too cold, I think the worst part of the winter I had to put on a hoodie. I'm from the countryside, so to me, the air here is much worse. The traffic is horrendous, and some parts of the city are pretty nasty. The more affluent neighborhoods are really nice though, and seem to have no problems with crime. I hear that the Flagstaff area is the place to be in Arizona.
If I had the choice, I wouldn't be living here, but then again, I am a country girl at heart!
And yes, there really are catuses, but I haven't seen any tumbleweed :)

Answer 3

I lived in NJ for two years, but I moved back to Arizona because it is beautiful here. If they move to an area like Tucson or Phoenix they won't see freezing temperatures except sometimes at night in the winter. There are higher elevation areas like Flagstaff that will freeze, but still not as bad as NJ. Most of the winter Phoenix stays above 50 degrees. Phoenix is not know for clear air, we have some smog clouds from the pollution here. There are cactuses, more so in some areas than others, and yes I've seen the occasional tumbleweed but they are pretty rare. I usually see them while driving between Tucson and Phoenix over flat, bare land.

I love the Mesa/Chandler/Gilbert area of Phoenix, there is a lot of shopping and places to eat. I don't miss the snow, but when we want to go ski or snowboard its just a few hours away. Also, the cost of living is cheaper here and the freeways are some of the best in the US.

Answer 4

Most of the state has clean air- except for the Phoenix area
It does snow in northern AZ.
Im sure Jersey is worse.
Yes- There are a TON of Cacti. Yes. There are tumbleweeds.
I love AZ. I actually live in NV, but I visit family in AZ all the time.

Answer 5

-is going On. The illegals are nevertheless right here. The stupid Politicians nevertheless run the position. 1/2 the Neighborhoods are in foreclosure. There aren't any jobs, & all and numerous's Broke. -in short, there is no longer some thing new. -except that that's meant to get close to one hundred this Friday- for the first time this year ! So apparently like that's gonna be a lengthy warm summer season... :)

Answer 6

I don't live there but my grandparents do (in Scottsdale) and I have been there many times including Scottsdale, Chandler, Fountain Hills, Pheonix, Jerome, Flagstaff, and more.

The air is fairly clean but not remarkable. It is not the CLEANEST nor the DIRTIEST in the United States. Because of being in the west (settled later) and lacking many natural resources there is very little industry/manufacturing making it cleaner then many places on the east coast including New Jersey. (the poster below doesn't seem to understand what actual manufacturing industry means as he mentions google. He obviously has never been to areas of the east coast which sport the smoke belching factories and the brick buildings turned black from centuries of factories.)
Also they have LESS flowering plants making the pollen count lower (AGAIN contrary to what the poster below believes. I didn't say NO flowering plants to cause pollen issues-I said less, as in comparison to those on the east coast. I live out East, trust me even with people bringing in non-native plants to Arizona you still have LESS.)

However it is desert, There is a LOT of dust which can cause lung problems for some if exposed to it constantly. And cities still have larger amounts of pollution, the hot tempertures keep the pollution humans create lower in the atmosphere down where we breath it.

As well hiking outdoors in the warm weather is not very common as there is a large population of scorpions and rattlesnakes. Most scorpions are small and hard to notice and can fit through a slit as flat as a credit card, and when they infest they are like cockroaches. Almost everyone I know has to hire someone to come in and spray their property monthly to keep scorpions away. ("5,000 people get stung by scorpions each year in Arizona.")
"Scorpions are extremely abundant in Arizona and one or more species can be found in virtually every habitat from mountaintops to desert floors. The devil scorpion (Vaejovis spinigerus) is common to the entire state"
http://cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/archive/scorpions.html

The weather and enviroment depends on WHERE you live in Arizona. In the southern region snow is VERY rare, frost is only common a few times during the winter, and many beautiful cacti grow there. (In fact the Saguaro cacti only grow in Mexico, Arizona and a small portion of southern California.) as well they have tumbleweeds and other things. Grass is expensive to grow as it takes a lot of water but many people have amazing flowering cacti gardens and some flowering fruit trees (I see these often though I've been told they attract roof rats, you may want to get mroe info on that).

Southern Arizona has more "green" natural plants then texas or New Mexico deserts, plus beautiful mountains and rock formations making it a nice place to live. I was over there just a few weeks ago in fact and the temperture ranged from 55 (on the coldest day) to 88 (on the hotest day.) This is their winter. But keep in mind very warm winters also mean VERY HOT summers. Despite the fact its a dry heat in the summer its till HOT, you will need a pot holder to open your car door!

On the other side of Arizona (north) it is much cooler in the mountains (near Flagstaff)
They don't have many cacti there as frost and snow are more common however they have even more abundant plant and wild life including large forests of Ponderosa Pine.
It will snow in the mountains however it is generally warmer there then many places on the East coast. The amount of snow can very from a dusting to a few feet depending on the year (just as anywhere.) However on average they tend to only get about 1-3 inches at a time and it doesn't last very long as the temperture doesn't stay down long enough for it to stick more then a week or 2. In general the tempertures in the mountains in the winters would be 20's-60's but the summers are cooler as well.

Your family should just keep in mind that NO place is perfect and decide which things they can live with and which they cannot.

Also for anyone visitiing Arizona I would defenitly reccomend you go to Rawhide!!

*P.S. my grandparents have found rattlesnakes in their yard twice.* They don't live in busy city sections but give them an Arizona yard and they will find a home.