Be it Resolved in 2010 – The Ultimate Hike
Part way up Pusch Peak
I want to try this in 2010. I’ve climbed Pusch Peak a couple of times and Picacho Peak once, although it’s been a couple of years since I’ve done either. I’d say at my current fitness level, I’d be looking at a couple of months of pretty intense hiking. Assuming I got serious about this right away, I could try it this Spring.
What am I talking about? Hiking from Catalina State Park (2,700′) to the top of Mt. Lemmon (9,080′). Looks like an all day hike with wonderful scenery and a quite a leg burn. Read much more about it here. I’ve already hiked to Romero Pools numerous times including a few days before Thanksgiving and the day after Christmas. Here’s a nice map of the trails leading out of Catalina State Park.
April sometime would be a good time to make this hike. Plan B could be November, which would give me all year to get ready. I’ll let you know!
Another Tucson Record!
Three days in a row. Yes, it’s been hot for this time of year. I’m not positive, but I think that because time is traveling SO FAST for me these days, it seems like 91 is a cool Summer day. Weird, I know.
It’s 2:47 in the afternoon as I am typing. The indoor/outdoor thermometer here at the apartment in Oro Valley is reading 86 outside right now. The airport is reporting 91. That ties the record for the date and perhaps we’ll inch up a degree or three more. Here are some records for today’s date straight from the Tucson National Weather Service Forecast Discussion this morning:
THURSDAY NOV 5
FORECAST RECORD/YEAR
TUCSON INTL APT 91 91 /2007
AJO 91 94 /2007
ORGAN PIPE CACTUS 90 94 /1988
KITT PEAK 75 87 /1975
ORACLE 82 86 /1916
PICACHO PEAK 92 92 /2007
NOGALES 6N 86 88 /1980
BISBEE-DOUGLAS APT 85 85 /2007
SIERRA VISTA 84 86/ 1916
SAFFORD AG STATION 84 85/ 2007
The best news is we start cooling off tomorrow and through the weekend!
Under Pressure
Southeast Arizona is under pressure this week. Strong high pressure is building and that may mean a new record high our two for the area Tuesday and Wednesday. Here are some numbers I stole right out of the Tucson National Weather Service’s Forecast Discussion:
TUE NOVEMBER 3 WED NOVEMBER 4
FORECAST RCD/YEAR FORECAST RCD/YEAR
TUCSON INTL APT 92 91/1931 91 91/2001
AJO 94 95/1924 93 95/1915
ORGAN PIPE CACTUS 93 92/1997 92 92/1999
KITT PEAK 73 73/1999 72 72/1997
ORACLE 80 86/1916 79 88/1916
PICACHO PEAK 92 91/2001 91 93/2001
NOGALES 6N 85 87/2005 84 87/2001
BISBEE-DOUGLAS APT 83 85/2001 82 84/2007
SIERRA VISTA 81 86/1916 80 87/1916
SAFFORD AG STATION 83 86/1952 82 89/2001
FORT THOMAS 82 84/1962 81 87/2001
So why so hot? Blame it on high pressure and the sinking air. With high pressure, the atmosphere is actually “thicker.” Not thinker in density, but thicker in height. That’s why it’s called a “dome” of high pressure. And that air is sinking. As air sinks from higher elevations, it gets squeezed by the weight of the air above. As the air gets compressed, it warms. Also, the sinking air makes it harder for clouds to form so you have clear nights and sunny days. This far south the Sun can still be pretty strong, even in November.
Sometimes high pressure can be really cold. Arctic highs form where there is little, or no sunshine in the Winter. So. Clear nights and no Sun make the air mass colder and colder and colder. Arctic highs are both thicker in height AND density. Your barometer under a strong Arctic high may approach the red line! When an Arctic high moves south, it brings the severe cold of the arctic with it, slowly “modifying” (warming up) over time in the southern Sun. Southeast Arizona usually doesn’t have to worry about Arctic highs moving in (unfortunately)…
