@Nancy Hart As you probably know, weather extremes are the norm in mountainous areas, the higher the mountains, the more extreme. Where I live, 180 miles from Flagstaff, AZ, the area has never seen more than a speck or two of snow; Flagstaff averages 81 INCHES annually! Today's weather in Flag is 47 degrees low, 75 high, 23% humidity; here along the Colorado River it is 74 and 105, humidity 13%. These extremes explain why retirees choose to live in AZ: between those extremes may be found consistently mild climate. For example, Kingman, 30 miles east of us, has high temperatures consistently 10 degrees lower than ours; altitude is 3100 feet. Flagstaff is 7000, we are 550. Precipitation is yet another thing: we get 5.5 inches of rain A YEAR, Flagstaff 21 inches, excluding it's snowfall, which makes total nearly 30 inches, Kingman 8 inches rain, 0.1 inch snow. So, a bit more tolerable yet than Kingman, going back to Willcox, 4200 feet altitude, today 62 and 89, humidity 26%. Apple trees do very well there! Kingman has beautiful stands of Joshua trees, naturally growing there, we have orange trees, fig, pomegranate, pecans, pistachios, lemon, .........scorpions, snakes, lots of birds such as Gambrel quail: The male is the more colorful. Here's a bunch of quail, several pigeons, and two bunny rabbits partaking of the feed we give them. Frank
Presently here in Fresno, Ca. there is no smoke or ash and there is blue sky and good air quality for a change 75 F. I will sit here for a while longer and then go to lunch.
My paradise is the Dominican Republic a cold day is in the high 60s a hot day is mid 90s the temperature stays in the low 80s. Hurricanes seem to go around us very few come over land. No venomous snakes,no large wild animals except a wild pig. Lots of sandy beaches. If you love the cold there is a mountain call Pico Duarte the highest in the Caribbean has snow.
We have been having outstanding weather for the past couple of weeks... 50s at night and 70s during the day with low humidity. I don't think I'd like living in an arid climate because when we travel out west in the RV, the dry air makes me miserable with cracked lips and dried-out sinuses.
I think about another thing too. People don't always get each other's sense of humor. Sometimes when you're just trying to be a little funny if others don't know you well they can take it as you're being a butt (not YOU Frank, ANY of us). I've had that problem in the past in actual face to face conversations until the other person gets my sense of humor. Also, sometimes we say things too quickly and don't really put a lot of effort into how others might be taking it when they read it on their end. Texting doesn't always show our emotions or our humor and can miscommunicate as well. I have felt very welcome here. I appreciate you all for that.
When I was married my husband and I was extremely different about what was comfortable temperature-wise. I get cold very easily, he couldn't get enough of the air conditioner in the car/truck. I would be frozen out and uncomfortable the entire time. One time, while driving through the Mohave Desert I shut off the air in the truck and opted for the window with the hot air to warm me up. I'd been freezing for too long with the stupid air on. I never heard the end of it. He still tells people about it to this day.
Now, that would be how one defines weather. If you like the southwest and midwest, not too bad if tornadoes and plains storms are your thing. Southeast and all of the eastern seaboard entices you, my guess is hurricanes delight you. As for the west coast, well, earthquakes, endless forest fires and mudslides find you enchanted, be my guest. The entire northern states are absolutely frigid in winter, but if you are a snow bird who loves skiing and all manner of winter sports, go for it. The Gulf coast is subject to almost anything and not my thing. In short, doubtful there is a perfect place unless it is Hawaii and who can afford it?
My son had to leave his home in Hawaii due to a volcanic eruption. He lives in Oregon now and has been inhaling smoke from the fires.
How could I have forgotten those awful volcanoes, Beth. See, you cannot win. My brother lives in Oregon and is also breathing in all that smoky air. Ah well. I think the Seychelles is a perfect place to live for weather, but one has to worry about a tsunami.
This is pretty much how I see it, too. There is no place in the world that does not have some kind of weather-related issues, earthquakes, or volcanoes. If I could live anywhere , I would still choose the west coast of Oregon or Washington, somewhere near Astoria. I love Astoria, and there are all kinds of beautiful ocean beaches both north and south of there. It is close enough to the ocean that most of the ash from the fire should be blowing away from there, and unless there was an earthquake (which can happen almost anywhere), it would be a pretty nice area to live in. One of the landmarks in Astoria is “The Column”, which is somewhere between a lighthouse and a gigantic totem pole. Many years ago, when I was working there, Robin and I climbed up the 200+ steps to the top if the Column, and the view from the top IS amazing. The city itself is a merging of old and new, and I loved the old houses there. If you have seen the movie “Short Circuit”, around Astoria is where it was filmed.