weather vs NY, LA, Phoenix (Austin, San Marcos: house, neighborhood, live)

[toddbe]

I have lived in New York when I was a kid, later LA, and now Portland for the past 10 years. I am seriously considering moving to the Austin area, but am concerned about heat/ humidity.

Can anyone compare the temp/ humidity in Austin to LA, New York, and Phoenix (where I used to travel to)?

Thanks!
Todd

[gigi927]

Well...I have lived in Chicago (climate similar to NY, I think), Orange County (obviously similar to LA) and most recently Phoenix. We moved to Austin 2 months ago.

I would liken the weather most to Chicago's in summertime. LA and Orange County get those ocean breezes sometimes that keep the humidity lower and the summers a bit shorter, so I don't think it's a good comparison. Phoenix is just dry, dry, hot. It can be 100+ nearly continually from early May through late October. No humidity. I think Phoenix is more pleasant weather wise than Austin's heat until the temperature exceeds about 105...then Phoenix sucks, hands down. THe key difference with Phoenix and Austin, IMO, is that Phoenix NEVER cools down during the hot months. It can still be over 100 at midnight. I noticed here in Austin that while it can reach and exceed 100 degrees, it happens much later in the day than in Phoenix and there is a slight cooling off at night.

I remember growing up in Chicago and in the August/September months it was just muggy humid where you'd be sweating the minute you got out of the shower. TWhen the humidity is high here, it definitely reminds me of Chicago. However, I'd say so far since being here, the humidity's been between 30 and 50% most days and that has been really quite tolerable - better than a Chicago summer day in most cases.

But...I'm new here, so what do I know?

[deeptrance]

Our winters are almost non-existent compared to Chicago and NY, but much more pronounced than in LA or Phoenix. Our spring and fall seasons are long and gorgeous with lots of changes. Also, each year is different. There was one year where we went almost straight from winter to summer and that was awful. Other years it seems like spring lasts 5 months! I've never been anywhere that was so unpredictable.

The last few nights we've had lows in the 60s, tomorrow afternoon we're supposed to be in the low 40s with a wind chill in the 20s. That's typical winter, same as Chicago but just add 20 degrees to whatever happens in Chi-town.

Summer varies from one year to the next. This past summer, from all I've heard (I was away) was the worst ever. A couple years ago we had a summer that was beautiful! It almost never got above 96 for high temps and we had lots of days with tropical breezes and huge clouds, tons of rain, it was like being in Florida but not as humid. The one thing you can count on, though, is it will be hot all summer. If you need to feel cool dry air, you have a choice of heading about 600 miles northwest to the southern Rockies or staying in air-conditioned buildings. There are brief exceptions to this, such as DURING a heavy rain.

You won't experience an outdoor temperature below about 68 for 4 straight months. Seriously. That's just perverse, but the good thing is that you either acclimate to it or you move to a cooler climate. Our summers are the best thing we've got for preventing this area from being another L.A. --- millions more would move here if not for the heat.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by deeptrance

Our winters are almost non-existent compared to Chicago and NY, but much more pronounced than in LA or Phoenix. Our spring and fall seasons are long and gorgeous with lots of changes. Also, each year is different. There was one year where we went almost straight from winter to summer and that was awful. Other years it seems like spring lasts 5 months! I've never been anywhere that was so unpredictable.

The last few nights we've had lows in the 60s, tomorrow afternoon we're supposed to be in the low 40s with a wind chill in the 20s. That's typical winter, same as Chicago but just add 20 degrees to whatever happens in Chi-town.

Summer varies from one year to the next. This past summer, from all I've heard (I was away) was the worst ever. A couple years ago we had a summer that was beautiful! It almost never got above 96 for high temps and we had lots of days with tropical breezes and huge clouds, tons of rain, it was like being in Florida but not as humid. The one thing you can count on, though, is it will be hot all summer. If you need to feel cool dry air, you have a choice of heading about 600 miles northwest to the southern Rockies or staying in air-conditioned buildings. There are brief exceptions to this, such as DURING a heavy rain.

You won't experience an outdoor temperature below about 68 for 4 straight months. Seriously. That's just perverse, but the good thing is that you either acclimate to it or you move to a cooler climate. Our summers are the best thing we've got for preventing this area from being another L.A. --- millions more would move here if not for the heat.

Speaking of rain......I couldn't believe the link that Sis sent me, about all of the rain that Central Texas is getting now....wow. She said that she had over 5 inches at the house (between south Austin and San Marcos).

http://www.kxan.com/Global/link.asp?L=222491

If the link above is removed, kxan.....top news.

[deeptrance]

Just south of me in south-central Austin there was a recording of 7 inches of rain in 5 hours. I went out for a bit of creek-spotting and was blown away to see a cute little neighborhood stream rampaging with Class 5 rapids, lots of debris being taken along in the roaring water. I thought "this would be a great place to commit suicide, just jump in and you're GONE!" Morbid thought, but I was half-expecting to see cars and bodies roaring down the rapids. Fortunately I only saw lots of yard furniture, garbage cans, recycling bins, and a surprising amount of basketballs and other large floating toys.

Tonight and tomorrow we're expecting a major ice storm, possibly mixed with snow. Meanwhile, for about 4 straight days it's been warmer in Boston and Cleveland than in Austin. So much for my comments about there being no winter here! LOL...