Prescott, AZ anyone?

S

Stacy

Cathlete
My hubby and I are continuing our search for a retirement destination. Southern Cali is a bit pricey, the Pacific Northwest might be too humid. We don't mind a little snow but hate sub zero temps and endless snow of the Midwest/East. Don't mind a dry heat but the sweltering, sticky, oppressive humid summers here are horrible!

Does anyone live in Prescott, AZ year round that can tell me the scoop on the weather. Specifically, how much snow in the winter on average and how humid are the warmer summer days?

Thanks!
 
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I don't think I've ever been to Prescott, so I cannot answer your question. It does get rather hot in AZ in the summer though, even if it is dry heat. I'm intrigued by your inquiries, because like you, I have had it with winters in the Mid-Atlantic and would like to relo in about four more years, or at least be a snowbird. Hoping! Anyway, I just wanted to add that I commented on your previous post about SoCal, and in that thread, I stated how much I would like to live in Cali. Well today I read something on FB that got me rethinking that idea. A gentleman commented on a post I saw stating that shortly after the Fukushima disaster, he and his family packed up and left their Cali home, and he also said that he won't buy any produce that comes from the west coast - not from Cali, Oregon, or Washington state. I am wary of eating most fish these days, but really hadn't considered the produce, and I have to admit that I never considered the effects of the Fukushima disaster on the actual land in Cali, but I think that issue does have its merit. Just wanted to share that. In another FB group that I belong to, one woman mentioned that she moved from NY to NM and that she is very happy there. I've read that it can be rather windy with severe dust storms at times in NM, but I think that is probably the worst thing that they experience. I think every place has "something" undesirable, but as you are doing, you need to carefully look at the pros and cons of each locale. Good luck. I hope someone here can offer more information for you. Take care.
 
Thanks for your reply, definitely something to consider! And yes, every place will have something that will keep it from being perfect, but any place has to be better than this place! This Seasonal Affective Disorder stuff is hitting me harder every year! We have looked at NM too....wondering if I could survive there if I hate green chiles? ;)
 
Stacy,

Have you considered Idaho? Still basically Pacific Northwest, though not coastal, but thus much more affordable than the big cities in Washington and Oregon. We get snow and a winter inversion every year, but it is typically short-lived and definitely not as bad as where you'd be coming from. ;) Also have lakes and many outdoor activities, a beautiful river running through the capital city, and lots of exciting stores and shops opening up (now have Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, have a terrific Co-op, etc). People in general are quite fitness- and health-minded here. No shortage of gyms and during Spring, Summer, and Fall we seem to have some sort of race almost every weekend (5Ks, 10Ks, marathons, you name it).

Sedona is nice, but it feels like a tourist destination more than a place to live (I say this as a native Arizonan who would only vacation in Sedona, so I may be a bit biased).

Good luck! Lots of choices out there for you.

Lisa
 
I visited Sedona many years ago (gorgeous!), and we even ended up purchasing a time share while there (which we later sold, thankfully!), but interestingly, our tour guide happened to mention that most people are in and out of Sedona within a two-year time frame, and our guide credited that to the Earth's vortexes/vortices (sp?) having an ill effect on people once they've spent time there. I have a friend who resides in Utah (and loves it), who is originally from Idaho, and she seems to be quite proud of her roots there. Sounds like a great place. I want to be somewhere that the people are like us Cathletes.... health and fitness-minded. :cool:
 
People here are NOT fitness minded and places out west where we've visited had such a contagious health and fitness vibe that we loved! Maybe because it's sunnier there and they're not cooped up indoors 11 months out of the year! Ultimately we'd like to live in the remote suburb of a city with an airport hub since the rest of my family is not moving and they'd be coming to visit. We'd like a few acres of land but worry that the "remote" location will turn into the city with so many cities growing so quickly! We have looked at both Idaho and Utah as well, so many pretty places. We keep worrying about the amount of snow. A very short winter is okay but seeing constant snow on the ground for many months even if it is surrounded by pretty mountains is not something we're going for!
 
How 'bout Southern Utah. Beautiful there, and very cheap. St. George is a gorgeous little city, beautiful red rocks. Walking and biking trails through the red rocks. Many outdoor activities, an outdoor ampitheater in the rocks, and beautiful weather. No humidity at all. Very little, if any snow in St. George. My husband and I are considering St. George or even Moab as our retirement home. St. George is about an hour and a half to two hour drive to Las Vegas. We visit St. George as often as possible. At least three times a year. Summers can be very warm, but, I'm a desert rat at heart. Love the heat. Love it there. It also has an airport.
 
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I'm getting rather jealous listening to you lot talk about all these lovely places. Emigration isn't practical for me, though!
 
desertambrosia said:
How 'bout Southern Utah. Beautiful there, and very cheap. St. George is a gorgeous little city, beautiful red rocks. Walking and biking trails through the red rocks. Many outdoor activities, an outdoor ampitheater in the rocks, and beautiful weather. No humidity at all. Very little, if any snow in St. George. My husband and I are considering St. George or even Moab as our retirement home. St. George is about an hour and a half to two hour drive to Las Vegas. We visit St. George as often as possible. At least three times a year. Summers can be very warm, but, I'm a desert rat at heart. Love the heat. Love it there. It also has an airport.
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I LOVED ST GEORGE!!!! First, the drive in on US 15 from Vegas was JAW DROPPING!!! We stayed in St George for a few days while we day hiked through Zion....Utah is a magnificent state for outdoor enthusiasts....also fell in love with Moab: stayed there for a week while we hiked through the Arches and Canyonlands (burned enough calories to be able to eat at a wonderful little Italian place and had Turtle Cheesecake EVERY night ;)!).
Maybe you should just get a huge land yacht and travel to your favorite places...live like a nomad and go where the weather suits you???
 
I don't live in Prescott (I live in southern Arizona, where it truly does get hot in the summer), but have a friend who lives nearby in Prescott Valley. Here's what she says:

"When it snows up here Prescott may typically get up to 6"-8" sometimes a little less, maybe a little more. That's about average. High temps can reach the mid to upper 90s but that's a bit high. I'd say typically in the middle of the summer they see low to mid 90s. Temps at night drop considerably as there is not much concrete to hold in the heat. Most individuals I know open their windows at night, mid-summer as well, to cool down the house. We do the same, then close up in the morning to maintain the coolness in the house for most of the day."
 
Just spent Sunday in Prescott. Gorgeous weather! We hiked around Lynx Lake which is just outside Prescott, then had coffee at a cute little place in town. I live in Phoenix, so like to go to Prescott from time to time. I think you would love it there! Lots of cute, quaint houses in nice, little, quiet neighborhoods. There's a park in the center of the town where they have fun activities on most weekends. I believe Prescott is around 5200 feet so the weather is typical of that altitude. Good luck on your journey!:)
 
Nancy, can you ask your friend how many snow days in the winter. Do they typically see snow on the ground from Oct/Nov til Feb/March?? Are the summers humid/oppressive or just a dry heat? Thanks!
 
I lived in Prescott and Prescott Valley for 8 years. The winters are very mild usually 40-50 degrees, mostly sunny and if it does snow its usually only a couple to a few inches that melt by noon. Spring is windy temps are 50's to low 70's. Lots of sunshine. Summers are warm usually 80's to low 90's. Sunny most of the time, some monsoon showers in July. Fall is sunny and 70's to 60's. It's a beautiful place with lots of outdoor hiking and mountain biking trails. My husband hated moving back to Indiana but we did because of family. All and all Prescott is a gorgeous place. Sunny 95% of the time I'd say.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
"Snow days are difficult to predict. I would say 'a handful,' maybe 5-6. I've seen snow in the area in April and then we've had winters with no snow at all. Earliest I can remember is in Oct, but sometimes not until Dec/Jan. I will say the past two winters have been relatively wet, not necessarily snow, but some rain.

The heat is not oppressive from my point of view. Yes, dry heat. I don't like when it hits 85, but that's me, and the temps will climb that high, and a little higher, in summer.

Any further information can probably be gleaned off the Prescott City website or the Farmer's Almanac."
 
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