Happens right around this time of year, every year. It’s like clockwork. You can really tell the days are getting shorter – it’s near dark around 7 PM now – but the temps here in the Valley of the Sun remain hot, in the mid-’90s, which actually feel tolerable compared to the months of 100+ we’ve been through. The pool tries to keep up as best it can, but it’s fighting not only the shorter days but the sun angle, which puts half of it in shade for the better part of the afternoon. Even with the past weekend temps hovering around 105 or so, the nights have been in the mid-’70s, so the pool has struggled to stay above 80 degrees. Now 80 may sound nice, but without the heat of the day it’s still a bit of a bracer at night, especially when there’s a breeze around.

Tonight I took what is likely my last nighttime swim of the year. The moon was bright and heading towards full, the air temp was 79, and the water 80. I enjoyed a few laps in the dark, then called it a night – perhaps a season. After all, the forecast is for lows around 70 or so the next few nights, meaning the bottom will drop out of the pool temp. It’s funny how the water takes so long to warm in the months of April and May but loses it’s warmth so quickly come mid to late September. Soon the days will follow the nights and drop into that delicious time of year known as “Arizona winter” – the main reason why folks live around here to begin with.