Fall in Phoenix is not your average picture of autumn leaves and warm clothing.
Fall itself is a one of a kind season: One made for pumpkins, hot chocolate, fuzzy blankets, and flannels. You see, all these things are true... unless you're in the desert. While most of the country has leaves that are changing colors, we just decorate things.
We decorate our homes and create the illusion for ourselves that the heat may one day fade away. If you haven't experienced a Phoenix fall, I can paint the perfect picture for you. Ready, here it is...a desert (still).
1. The cacti stay the same exact color.
2. The temperature drops to a whopping 99 degrees.
The day it breaks the hundreds is one of the best days of the year here in Phoenix. Once the reality sets in that it probably won't break the 90's for quite a while, you just suck it up and wear your flannel even though it's not cool enough for it at all.
3. You can finally start drinking Pumpkin flavored coffee, but it MUST be iced.
That's right. The coffee can't be hot yet. It's even less fun to burn your tongue when you are still sweating at the same time, so here, we stick with iced drinks, it just makes life a little better.
4. People still don't use their blinker.
Does this actually have to do with fall? Nope. I just wanted to take a moment to remind all you Arizona drivers that your blinker does exist.
5. During an Arizona fall, road trips are necessary.
Since our leaves here in Phoenix don't change color, it is necessary to head up to Flagstaff and see some orange leaves! Also, while your there, you can take a second and order your HOT coffee for a change since it is most likely under 90 degrees outside.
6. Classes get a whole lot harder.
Fall also means back to school which means that classes start to become a challenge. Soon enough, they are in full swing and people are spending their days in coffee shops and libraries to get studying.
7. Everyone goes thrifting for giant sweaters.
You see, us Arizona's don't need to spend lots of money on nice brands of sweaters that we know will last because we wear them strictly for fashion purposes. Therefore, we head on down to Goodwill and give our fall wardrobe an upgrade.
To all my fellow Phoenicians, this weather can be wack, even in October. So basically fall for us means very little change other than iced pumpkin coffee drinks. It's (kinda) fall y'all. Happy October.
