It's Hot!

🔥 Rising Temperatures and Extreme Heat

The story - 

We recently returned from an extended absence and opened the house up. Always at the top of our list after returning from a trip is donning our pith helmets and setting out in search of scorpions who might have evaded our defenses and taken up residence in the relative cool of our house. Barbara, she of sharp eyes, bagged only one tiny specimen, and he was long dead.

I reset the A/C and turned the water main back on, and we crawled into bed after a long day's flying. We slept well and enjoyed morning showers.

Lying awake during the second night, I realized I had not plugged in the hot water recirculating pump, nor had I turned the water heater control from 'pilot' to 'on'.  Nevertheless, there was hot water for our showers that first morning back. Had I forgotten to turn the hot water heater to 'Pilot' when we had left for Oregon?

At sunrise, I nervously walked barefoot into the garage, closely inspecting each dark spot before setting my foot down. I was at first confused. The water heater had indeed been turned to 'Pilot' and still remained there. How was it that, with the water heater only on 'pilot', we were able to enjoy hot water showers the previous morning? 

Here's the way I figure it.

The water heater is in the garage, against the southern wall. Though I left the house A/C set for 80 degrees while we were gone, the garage was still an oven, heated by the sun and the ambient high of 100+ degrees. Even though the water heater was off, the water temperature was perfect for showering. I assume had it been a long, soaking shower the warm water in the tank would have eventually run out, and the water turn cold.

That anecdote leads us to a more serious discussion . . .

Southern Arizona, known for its iconic saguaro cacti and sweeping desert vistas, is facing a climate reckoning. As global temperatures rise, this region is experiencing some of the most dramatic and dangerous shifts in the United States. From intensifying heat waves to dwindling water supplies, climate change is reshaping life in the Sonoran Desert.

And it's getting hotter - faster. Phoenix has shattered heat records in recent years with temperatures above 110 degrees F for weeks at a time, and only after midnight does it fall to comfortable levels. Elderly, children, and those without access to A/C are vulnerable and suffer. I suppose there are those so adapted as to survive comfortably in the shade with a breeze or a fan. I'm not there yet.

For the time being, at our Sellwood home we are slightly better off. Phoenix is at 1,086 ft, Tuscon is at 2,344 ft, and our home in Saddlebrook is at 3,325 ft. We are usually 5-10 degrees cooler than Phoenix (but still very hot in the summer.) 

And there's the water issue. For the immediate future, Tucson is okay . . better off than much of the state.

Is there a bright spot? Yes, the temperate, dry winters are absolutely wonderful!