As you begin packing your suitcases for your journey to the County, here are a few tips about the weather that may be helpful. Many of you may be wondering why anyone would choose to be married in the desert in July, but you are imagining the wrong desert. Torrey is not Riyadh. It is not Baghdad. It is not even Tucson. Torrey sits at an elevation of almost 7000 feet, in a valley between two enormous plateaus that rise to 11000 feet. It is a mountain town almost as much as a desert town. Temperatures in late-June and early-July are usually in the mid-80's during the day with lots of sun. It is usually breezy and often windy. There is always the possibility of thunderstorms in the late afternoon. The storms are usually short but very intense and very localized--it might rain an inch or more in Bicknell and not a drop in Torrey. At night, because of the dry air and the elevation, it cools off rapidly. Expect lows around 50, maybe chillier. Definitely bring extra layers when you head out into the evening. Having said all that, remember that the weather is at least as hard to predict in Torrey as anywhere else. It's been a pretty warm and dry spring out here. Who knows what that might mean for the summer.
On a similar note, two things that you can't have enough of out here are sunblock and water. Don't worry if you forget to bring them, you can acquire them when you arrive. But it is VERY important (especially if you're coming from the low elevation and humidity of the East Coast) to remember to slather on the sunblock and drink a lot of water while you're here. The sun is intense down in the desert and the air will suck the water right out of you, even if all you do is sit around. Always have extra of both of these items with you when start your day, whether you're going for a hike, a drive, swimming, drinking, partying, etc!
