Winters in Houston - what do I need? (buy, movie theaters)

[Maddie800]

Moving from Chicago to Houston in a month. As I'm clearing out the closets I have winter jackets, gloves, hats scarfs, even the face masks so when it hits below zero you don't get frost bite!

I would like to par it down and I know obviously don't need the snow boots and pants. Do people there wear hats in January?does it get down to below freezing from the research I've seen that isn't too likely.

I also have 2 kids so want to make sure I keep any hats, ear muffs, etc they may need.

I've lived in the midwest all my life, so when I ask this question I'm being serious! Thanks

[thesouthwest]

It gets cold no doubt. Don't let the southern stereotype fool you, there are plenty of nights when it's in the tens, but it hardly goes below.

[DejaBlue]

LMAO! Just bring a middle type jacket. Not heavy duty but something thicker than a sweater.

A simple fleece jacket will suffice. You're from Chicago, so once you experience the "cold" we have here you'll be like "These people are such babies!" and you'll be walking around in shorts.

Not even close. Ear muffs? Nope. When it gets that cold you won't be outside. That's overnight from 1am to 6am and then once 7 hits the sun is SHINING high and it's getting hot. The below freezing is almost NEVER during the day. By the time the kids get to school they will be shedding what jackets they wear.

Gloves are fine but nothing serious. Cheap ones you can buy at the dollar store will serve you well if it's nippy during the day.

But honestly, and I'm being totally serious. Our cold will be like 70 degrees to you.

[MNCold]

I'm from midwest as well. For my little kids, I still make them wear winter jackets/gloves and hats on the day when the temp dipped to 20-30 (only couple days last winter) when they go to school. Most other days, the temp is down to 50-60 so you do need a jacket of some sort. It is sometimes windy here. Last winter, there were a few days that the weather were in the 70s in the winter . I don't think you'll need earmuff but gloves and hats is fine on a really cold day (a.k.a 30s) .

For me, I haven't had to use gloves and hats during last winter nor the thick winter jacket . I wear a peacoat. I guess it's depending on your cold tolerance .

[d2mini]

I moved from upstate NY.
The first year you will think it's nothing. A light jacket will probably be fine except for maybe a week when it dips below freezing and the whole city freaks out and shuts down due to ice scares.
But then as the years pass by your body temp will get cooler and cooler until you find yourself reaching for a jacket below 70 degrees.

My wife will wear down jackets in the winter, but I usually get by with a leather jacket.
I definitely wear hats and scarves and if I'm doing an outdoor activity like riding a bike, gloves for damn sure. I would keep all the smaller items and then one nice heavy jacket and a few lighter ones.

One way to look at it is it's the complete opposite here compared to the northeast. Instead of 6 months of brutal winter, we have 6 months of blazing hot summer. But just like it still gets real hot for a short period up north, it still gets pretty cold for a short period down south.

[nana053]

Originally Posted by Maddie800

Moving from Chicago to Houston in a month. As I'm clearing out the closets I have winter jackets, gloves, hats scarfs, even the face masks so when it hits below zero you don't get frost bite!

I would like to par it down and I know obviously don't need the snow boots and pants. Do people there wear hats in January?does it get down to below freezing from the research I've seen that isn't too likely.

I also have 2 kids so want to make sure I keep any hats, ear muffs, etc they may need.

I've lived in the midwest all my life, so when I ask this question I'm being serious! Thanks

You do NOT need anything as heavy as what you had in Chicago. Temps are more like fall than like winter here. There may be a few nights when the temps get down to the 30s, but that is unusual. People here tend to wear heavier clothing when it gets into the 50s. We did not keep any Chicago winter clothing except for things we might need if we go visit family there in the winter.

Winter hats are ok, but not really necessary. Forget about earmuffs. The kids will not need them.

Welcome to Houston. You are in for a culture shock! Where will you be living? Where in the Chicago area were you? I came from Evanston/Skokie, but we moved to Louisiana before we moved here.

[heightsian]

Originally Posted by d2mini

I moved from upstate NY.
The first year you will think it's nothing. A light jacket will probably be fine except for maybe a week when it dips below freezing and the whole city freaks out and shuts down due to ice scares.
But then as the years pass by your body temp will get cooler and cooler until you find yourself reaching for a jacket below 70 degrees.
.

Completely true. I'm from New England but 12 years in Texas have made me weak (g).

My normal winter jacket is a wool pea coat. I don't have any tolerance for cold (my fingers turn blue in air conditioning!) so I need something heavier than a fleece in December/January/February. I wear hats and scarves here regularly during those months as do many people here; it's more for the wind than the actual cold though.

I brought all my winter gear from New England here but over time, I've culled it down to a few pairs of thin yarn gloves with one pair of heavy for when I travel north during the winter, a fleece jacket, two fleece scarves, two hats and one headband. That's more than enough.

[HoustonRonnie]

Easier to say what not to bring:

1. Sled.
2. Ice Skates.
3. Hockey stick.
4. Ear muffs.
5. More than one jacket.
6. Tire chains.
7. Studded tires.
8. Engine block warmer.
9. Anti-freeze window washer fluid.
10. The Cubs!



Ronnie

[texas7]

You might have 2 or 3 days the entire winter where you would need anything heavy duty and that is about it. The thing about winter here, particularly a damp one, is that when we do have an extremely cold day, the humidity makes that wind feel like needles into your face. I can go visit a friend in Arkansas and on the same temperature day, I don't need the jacket or get that feeling in my skin when the wind hits me. So I am assuming that biting feeling comes from the humidity on those one or two days that we may have an extreme cold. Other than that on the normal winter days, you might need a light jacket. And you'll go between shorts on Monday to a light jacket by Wednesday or the even more common - shorts and sandals on Monday to 40 degrees on Tuesday and back to 78 degrees on Wednesday.

[d2mini]

Oh one other thing... my wife always has a light jacket with her in the car, even in the warmer months because the restaurants and movie theaters keep the AC pumping SO STRONG! It's crazy. You have been warned.