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I'm looking to re-locate to a state that has a warm to hot climate (about 60-90 degrees or so) most of the year, with lower humidity. I don't mind cooler nights/winters, but I'd prefer somewhere that generally has nice weather for outdoor activities. I currently live in WI, and I am sick of the freezing weather and humidity!
I would also prefer somewhere that is known for friendly people, artistic communities, and lots of fun things to do outdoors. Being close to a beach or lake for swimming would be a good bonus too!! Also, a low cost of living would be nice. Tall order, huh? hehe!
So, if anyone knows of or lives in a state/city/area like this, let me know where, and why you like it! So far, I have been considering Texas, New Mexico and Tenesee.
I was thinking about California, but from what I've heard about the general attitude there, I'm not sure. I would prefer somwhere that is known for welcoming people, and more of a small-town attitude, if you know what i mean? Feel free to prove me wrong, though, becuase I do like the climate in CA and have relatives there. ^_^
Thanks in advance!!!
Wow, you've got to be kidding me--California is the most welcoming state in the entire country.
Clearly, you have no idea what you're talking about.
Not true, Sacramento is 85+ miles from the Coast. It is not a desert, nor does it feel like one. Lot's of trees, rivers, and lakes. It's humidity is near perfect in Summer - 10-30% with low dew points, neither too dry, nor too humid. It's average high temps average 90 over the summer with significant comfortable cooling in the evening and night, often 25-35 degrees cooling with cooling winds.
Sacramento benefits greatly by being in the direct path of the Bay-Delta where there is a gap in the Coast Mountain Range which allows the "cold" Nor*Cal winds, "cold" Humidity (Nor*Cal coastal fog) to make a significant difference in how it experiences its summers compared to the Southern Central Valley(Fresno/Bakersfield), or the Southwest(Phoenix/Tuscon), or high humid areas that dominate The South, Midwest, Florida, and The East Coast.
SAC gets a bad gap because it is compared to SF and the coastal Bay Area which is one of the coolest-mildest in the nation in the summer. It will be 60, and foggy in SF, when it is 92 in Sacramento with 15% humidity, by early morning it will 58 in Sacramento, typical summer pattern for SAC.
Climate wise I like Sacramento's year round climate very underrated in my book. I'd love to live somewhere where it dropped to 58 at night in summer, didn't have tornadoes, hurricanes, or heavy snow storms and remains relatively mild compared to most of the country in winter.
You should consider Las Vegas as well. It has warm weather year-round and the lowest average humidity of any major city in the United States.
Not true. Las Vegas in winter gets pretty chilly, similar in temps to coastal North Carolina. It even snows there on occasion. And summers, while dry for the most part, are unbearably hot, even at night. Then there is the Southwest Monsoon, bringing summer thunderstorms (like out East) to the Vegas area as well as humid weather, typically in August and September, the hottest time of the year. Trust me: that 105F with humidity and rain will feel worse than a humid 90F with rain.
OK. here ya' go. California is only worth it if you can afford to live by the coast 10 miles max east. Otherwise it feels like desert most of the time and then you might as well live in Phoenix or Las Vegas or New Mexico. All of which have low humidity. Now, be careful what you want. The low humidity is worse for your skin, you age a lot faster. In simple terms, your skin wrinkles, your lips chap but OTOH your clothes can dry in 30 min without a dryer if you hang them.
Ask anybody living in Phoenix, Denver (winters mainly), or Las Vegas (not sure about New Mexico but it is the same climate). They will go through bottles of moisturizer and chapstick like a person who buys water & supplies before a hurricane.
L.A. does get humid. In the past 2 years during summer, it was 90 degrees and had forecasts for rain (which ended up being sprinkles) but it does happen. And Sept. to Nov. becomes the dry dry season, low dry humidity (more chapstick and lotion and chance of fires. You've probably heard about the San Diego fires a few years back where some families were caught in and passed. Yes, those uninhibited hills in San Diego (mostly brown..how is that spectacular..c'mon, I prefer the greener east coast) do have fires periodically, but mainly inland about 15 miles which is where you don't want to be. On a side note, I have never seen so many home-challenged people anywhere as San Diego when I was in town. I do still like San Diego though. Although, it felt too relaxed and lacked a business atmosphere. It is a surfer and college town though.
I do not know where a comfortable mix is that does not give you a trade-off except for California's coastal areas. It's never really too hot, too cold or dry. You just chill in some relaxed weather but it is expensive. Gas is high so you just drive less or live close to your job. Oregon and Washington should fit comfortable chart too except they will be colder in the winter times.
Dallas, specifically north Dallas is pretty cool but summers I have never experienced but di see the temp readings and 100 plus some humidity is not for me. If SW Florida at 95 was too much, then Texas at 100-105 with maybe 70% of the humidity of FL is still a no go. Darn weather. huh?
The hills of San Diego are beautiful. It did used to be much greener before the drought but you get palm trees, cactus, and other exotic plants you can't find in the East. And you act as if the East is always green. For one, it is flat in comparison to the West. Secondly, for like 4 months out of the year, sometimes more, it looks ugly and barren because all the leaves are gone in the winter. If you want somewhere green all year, move to the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, or the South.
Didn't you say LOW humidity? Seems like a lot of folks give incorrect info occasionally. If you move INLAND from SanDiego to Orange Grove, Vista, LaMesa, etc, you can find lower humidity, but it gets hot hot hot!
The beach areas of San Diego do have higher humidity but the temperatures usually max out at 80F, and there is a cool Pacific breeze, so it will not feel oppressive to the OP as would Washington DC, Miami, Atlanta, etc. Plus, the nights in SoCal cool off into the 60sF, with the exception of the desert regions.
As for inland San Diego, it does get hot, but again, the nights get cool so there is some relief. Out East, the nights will stay in the 75-80F range quite often, sometimes even hotter.
If you want a welcoming state, California is way more welcoming and laid-back than Texas. Trust me, I know. I've been to California and I'm moving to Los Angeles in a few months. But I'd say Las Vegas is probably the best choice for you. It gets hot in the summer, but the winters are very short and mild and Las Vegas has the lowest average humidity of any major city in the United States. Plus, besides having world-class casinos and entertainment right at your doorstep, the Las Vegas Valley offers you some of the best outdoor activities, including hiking and mountain biking, as well as scenic tours of Red Rock Canyon, the Spring Mountains, and the beautiful Mojave Desert. Also, Las Vegas is a pretty inexpensive city to live in. And if you ever want to go to the beach for a day, Los Angeles is just a 4 hour drive from Las Vegas. If you want warm weather, low humidity year-round, and affordable living, Las Vegas should be your number one choice.
Vegas is ok. Better to visit then live.
IMO Las Cruces, NM is a lot nicer. Summers aren't as hot.
Beautiful Organ Mtns and El Paso is close by for big city stuff.
Let me get this point across to everyone... here in Phoenix its NOT "dry heat" for most of the summer, thats a blatant lie by people here to make it sound more attractive to ease their suffering in the summer. June is a hell furnace, with super low humidity. But seriously, who cares if theres 5% humidity when its 115 degrees out? You still bake and burn and sweat. Then come late June all the way through Mid-September are the monsoon storms which bring in high humidity and high dew points that rival anything out East. When its 105 degrees out with 60% humidity it is the most awful thing youve ever experienced! At 6:30AM the other day it was already 94 degrees with 72% humidity and a 60 degree dew point. There was 2 straight weeks of walking outside in the morning to that sticky bullcrap. We got a 2 day break with lower humidity, now its right back up there again. The storms come in, and it feels like the south... sticky, nasty, rainy. Then when the "dry heat" season goes away, it gets dang cold here at night, too. The only truly pleasant months are April, May, late October, and November. Summers are hellfire hot and humid, winters are mild in the day and cold/chilly at night. Dont think you can come down here and swim in the winter, youll get hypothermia in the blink of an eye.
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