Adjusting to Texas Heat? (Austin: how much, house, buy)

[lindseve]

hey everyone,
so i've been thinking about moving to the Austin area because it's such an awesome city! great nightlife, music, food, and extremely friendly people. the only problem i have so far is the heat. i currently live in california (san francisco bay area), and everyone knows we're pampered here weather-wise. whenever i visit austin, i can never get as much exploring done as i'd like because the heat really affects me. yet i see people jogging and roaming the streets like the weather's no big deal. now i KNOW other places have it way worse (for example, florida, or any other excessively humid state), but realizing that still doesn't help me adjust as much as i'd like. is the heat just something people get used to over time? i know staying hydrated is key - any other tips from natives?? i just want to reach a point where i can go roam around during the day! help!

[someguyatx]

Mid summer afternoons are miserable but the rest of the year is tolerable. Drink lots of water and use sunscreen and chapstick if you will be in the direct sun long. Wear comfortable shoes and undershirts and bring an extra shirt if you need to be clean and dry. Get a good pair of polarized sunglasses, use sunshields on parked car and get tinted windows.

[Exiled Texan]

My goal is to live in Austin for the school year and either on coastal Maine or the Vinyard for the summer. Two problems, my job won't let me off for the summer and I'm not independently wealthy. The latter would cure all. If anyone has any independently wealthy tips, I'll take them.

[Exiled Texan]

FWIW- It is very likely we will leave Texas as empty nesters due to the heat. Went to Target yesterday afternoon around 5pm and thought my tennis shoes were melting on the asphalt. Bought my kids Gatorades just for the walk back to the car.

[justanothercalifornian]

I think it is totally an individual thing. I know that I can tolerate the heat much more now than I did when I first moved here a few years ago but I'm almost positive I'll be moving elsewhere in a couple years. The heat DOMINATES the year. I love seasons. I adore them really and you only get two here. A short winter and a long, brutal summer. Others love it and could never leave.

[hoffdano]

Acclimation to the heat takes time. You cannot however do as much at 100 degrees as you can at 80, no matter how acclimated you are. Simple physiology dictates that. But it does get easier over time. If you are an athlete of some kind, hydration is especially important. And it is important to learn your limits in the heat.

I used to cycle on 360 after work many years ago. I have to say I preferred August to January, even if August was brutal at 5 p.m.. I would finish two water bottles on a 22 mile ride in the summer, but just one in cooler temperatures. I must say too that it was awesome to train in heat, then see how strong I was when in cooler temps.

I was in Georgia and Tennessee recently. It wasn't as hot as in Austin the day I left and returned. But it was much more uncomfortable in both places because of the much higher afternoon humidity. Neither place had the breeze we typically have here.

[centralaustinite]

You can't underestimate how important deeply tinted windows are! Avoid activities from 3-6 pm. I lived in a desert climate before I came to Austin and I learned a lot of tricks from those years. Hydrate, wear hats, stick to the shade, etc.

But I just got back from two weeks on the east coast -- wow, I haven't realized how much the heat was affecting the whole family. Highs of 88 are blissful. For the first time, I can see a reason to leave Texas at some point. Age affects senior citizens much more than younger people.

[atxcio]

Schedule a vacation during the hottest part of the year.

Get the best possible insulation and highest efficiency A/C in your house -- so you don't get such a big impact on your electric bills. Keeping the house cool makes short periods outside bearable. Keep your car parked in a garage or (at the very least) shade and make sure it's A/C is working well too. Buy a light color car if you can.

Finally, do try to acclimate. You'll probably never love the hottest part of the year, but you should get used to at least doing some things, or you will feel trapped in your home.

[Jink]

san franciscans? pampered??? i just got back from SF for a week stay and the weather was miserable and depressing! i jog for an hour and some days i bike for 3 hours -- in the heat of the day. i was born in the south, though, so i'm used to it. i guess you could take it slow at first and work your way up to complete (or pretty close to it) tolerance.

[cBach]

Originally Posted by someguyatx

Wear comfortable shoes and undershirts and bring an extra shirt if you need to be clean and dry. Get a good pair of polarized sunglasses, use sunshields on parked car and get tinted windows.

I disagree about the undershirt. A fast wick drying shirt with no undershirt will keep you much drier than a cotton undershirt.