Cooling Trend Welcome Relief for Arizona Landscape Workers

YUMA, Ariz. -- Landscape contractor Oscar Escalante's workers usually hate to rise and shine only to roast in the season’s heat and humidity. That is, until lately.

Escalante said he can't thank Mother Nature enough for the last few days of weather that's been almost cool in the morning and not so fiery in the afternoon.

"Boy, have we noticed this cooler weather," said Escalante, a partner with Arbor Tech Landscaping Service. "This weekend was pretty nice and this morning was really nice. It's a nice surprise for everyone."

He added that recent morning work has been missing something pretty major lately — sweat-soaked clothes.

"Usually you can tell that even around 7 a.m. all the workers' clothes are starting to get wet," Escalante said. "Everyone's been pretty happy lately."

Well, those workers can expect to be happy a little longer, say weather experts who predict that cooler-than-usual temps could last just a bit longer.

"I could say with pretty good confidence that at least through early next week, I don't see any moist weather coming our way," said Ken Clark, a expert senior meteorologist with Accuwea- ther.com.

It's the absence of such moist weather, Clark explained, that explains much of why the weather around here has been so much more tolerable lately.

"The reason is that we usually have high-pressure systems, which give us the normal 106- and 107-degree weather," he said. "Instead there has been a trough of low pressure that has brought cool air, keeping monsoonal moisture away. That's why it's been cooler and drier."

Today's forecast is a high of 98 degrees and a low of 78.

Monday morning's low was 76 degrees, compared to the average temperature of 80 degrees. Monday's high was 101, Sunday's was two degrees below average and Saturday's was three degrees below.

"It's been nice lately, at least nice compared to what it usually is," Clark said, adding with a chuckle: "You know that ‘nice’ is a relative term. It's nice when it's not 110 degrees out there."

Again, more good weather is expected.

"We're probably not done with (humidity) just yet, but at least for the time being we can expect some dry weather," he said. "It should be pleasant."