TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — On February 4, 1925, the record high temperature for Tucson was 84° and on the same day over 100 years later, the National Weather Service reports that Tucson hit 86°. But the average high temperatures for this time of year is supposed to be in the 60s.
The warm temperatures bring more hikers out to Tucson trails in Sabino Canyon or Tumamoc Hill. One Sabino Canyon hiker, Scott Bultman, spends hours on the trails nearly every day.
“It’s basically become my YMCA,” he said. “I target about 2,000 miles a year so I’m a pretty regular hiker.”
But he said the weather plays a factor in his hiking routine.
“This is the second year in a row to the day that it got back into the 80° area," he said. “It’s really hard because we wait all year for winter to do more longer, involved hikes.”
And while he sees more people on the trails, he says the 80° temperatures bring out a certain animal a few months early — snakes.
“Because I hike a lot, I do a snake meter," he said. "Two years ago I saw 37 and last year I saw 26. There were a couple of sightings on Sunday."
Arizona Game and Fish reports that snakes are less active during extremely cold or hot temperatures.
“We’re hitting their sweet spot a month or two early," he said.
Bultman said it's important to stay calm and walk away slowly when it comes to snakes.
“The first thing you do is freeze," he said. “The most important thing you can have out here is a satellite phone so you can call 911 from anywhere.”
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Tina Giuliano is a reporter for KGUN 9. She is a native Arizonan and grew up in Scottsdale. Tina is passionate about storytelling and is excited to work telling Tucson's stories. Share your story ideas and important issues with Tina by emailing tina.giuliano@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
