Nicest weather in Texas? Please advise! (San Antonio, Austin: real estate, live, horse)

[happyhorseranch]

Hello everyone,

We live on 2 acres in Southern California but it is soooo expensive and the pace is go-go-go. We are interested in relocating to more acreage in Texas. We need facilities for our six horses. We have heard that Northeastern Texas has the nicest weather but we are open to other options too. Does anyone know of pros-cons of Ladonia and Red River county? Preferably an area where tornados aren't too prevalent! Is there a mild area (mild summers and cold-ish winters) that anyone suggests? What about real estate values?

Thanks a million for any advise!

Happy Horse Ranch

[teatime]

There's no mild summer anywhere in Texas unless it's a fluke. It's all a question of humidity, whether you prefer humid mid-90s or dry mid-90s. South and East Texas are quite humid, West and Northwest Texas are much less so.

Ditto on the winters. South Texas remains warm and humid with some cold fronts coming down which can be bone-chilling when you add in the humidity. North and West Texas temps do go below freezing at night sometimes and do get some ice and a bit of snow. I think the typical winter day is high 40s, maybe low 50s during the day and 30s at night.

[Hyun-Soo]

Kerrville, or anywhere in the Texas Hill Country for that matter.

5-10 degrees cooler than San Antonio, Austin.

[leorah]

If you don't mind the relative isolation, you might want to look into the area around Alpine, in far west Texas. The high altitude and low humidity make the summer temperatures pleasant, and while winter can be cold, the sun does help moderate the temperature somewhat.

[NOTAM]

i am perfectly happy with the Hill Country weather...

[StuckInTexas]

Originally Posted by leorah

If you don't mind the relative isolation, you might want to look into the area around Alpine, in far west Texas. The high altitude and low humidity make the summer temperatures pleasant, and while winter can be cold, the sun does help moderate the temperature somewhat.

If your into horses and ranching, you should definitely check out the areas around Alpine, Marfa, and Fort Davis, is it the best weather in Texas by far overall. The elevation is at 5,000 feet. Even in July the average high is only 90 and the average low is 59. The winter gets cold at night sometimes (usually 20's to 30's, very occassionally below 20, and very rarely below 10), but this usually only happens after 10pm and before 10am, because of the dry air the sun heats the air up fast and for the same reason the temp falls fast when the sun goes down.

This part of Texas is the closest weather to California you will find, but to be precise the weather would be more like the foothills of LA than LA itself (cooler in Summer, but a bit colder in Winter). Fort Davis gets a little bit more rain than Southern California, especially in the even higher elevations like around the observatory. Basically, the weather in Fort Davis is about the same as the weather is at 4,000 feet in elevation in southern California.

The downside is complete lack of people, only about 30,000 in the county. There is a small county hospital though, but anything serious would have to be done in Midland or El Paso, a couple hundred miles away.

[StuckInTexas]

Also, whoever told you the weather in NE Texas is the best is from far correct. It is very humid and hot in NE Texas during most of the year and it also rains too much. Then when winter comes, it is humid and kind of cold (not that cold but the rainy winter makes it feel cold), especially if you are talking areas around Texarkana. In extreme NE Texas, you somtimes have to deal with ice storms (especially if you are in the extreme NE outskirts near the Arkansas border). The winter isn't that bad in NE Texas, but coming from southern California, it will feel pretty cold in the winter when it rains (or occassional ice and snow) and gets windy. Other than that it's just too hot, humid, and rainy most of the year.

[NOTAM]

i was going to say the same thing about that area....

Originally Posted by StuckInTexas

Also, whoever told you the weather in NE Texas is the best is from far correct. It is very humid and hot in NE Texas during most of the year and it also rains too much. Then when winter comes, it is humid and kind of cold (not that cold but the rainy winter makes it feel cold), especially if you are talking areas around Texarkana. In extreme NE Texas, you somtimes have to deal with ice storms (especially if you are in the extreme NE outskirts near the Arkansas border). The winter isn't that bad in NE Texas, but coming from southern California, it will feel pretty cold in the winter when it rains (or occassional ice and snow) and gets windy. Other than that it's just too hot, humid, and rainy most of the year.

[NOTAM]

because yall are horse people, i would highly recommend yall look into Stephenville, Weatherford, Burnet, Lampasas, Gatesville, Goldwaithe, Brownwood, San Saba, Hamilton.....................
and by the way, if you travel to equine events, it would be nice to be centrally located as these towns are, so you are not too far from any other area of Texas in any direction!

[southeasttexas]

Originally Posted by leorah

If you don't mind the relative isolation, you might want to look into the area around Alpine, in far west Texas. The high altitude and low humidity make the summer temperatures pleasant, and while winter can be cold, the sun does help moderate the temperature somewhat.

I agree with that post. IMO, my corner of the state (southeast) has the worst, west Texas has the best.