Which world cities are thought of as hotter/colder, wetter/drier than they are? (history, USA)

[nei]

Originally Posted by gizmo980

Yeah, a lot of people think the whole Bay Area has the same climate... either they expect it all to be SF weather, or they think it's warm & sunny like Los Angeles. Truth is that we have a ton of micro-climates here, and you can find different weather in nearly every town. I live right on the coast (in San Francisco), where it's foggy and cool ALL year - just how I like it!

A lot of the people who think of San Francisco is cool think of it as a cloudy city, even though it's sunnier than most east coast cities (though the western part of the city might not be). Also, a lot of tourists visit in the summer, when there's the most fog and it's actually cooler than fall, making them assume the city is cooler and foggier than it is because most people think summer would be the warmest and sunniest season.

[city_data91]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

NM is mostly quite elevated. SF is well known for it's cool summers inside the US, maybe foreigners might think it's warm like the rest of Cal.

Well-traveled Americans realize San Francisco has cool summers. But you'd be surprised at how many people think San Francisco is warm just because it's in California. I know people that went to San Francisco in the summer expecting 90 degrees and warm water. To their surprise, it was 70 and the water was cold.

I don't think I could live in San Francisco. Even though the winters are mild, the cool summers would get to me.

[RWood]

Originally Posted by nei

A lot of the people who think of San Francisco is cool think of it as a cloudy city, even though it's sunnier than most east coast cities (though the western part of the city might not be). Also, a lot of tourists visit in the summer, when there's the most fog and it's actually cooler than fall, making them assume the city is cooler and foggier than it is because most people think summer would be the warmest and sunniest season.

The 64% average sunshine (downtown somewhere) beats the northeast and a considerable part of the rest of the centre/east, and there would be more further from the coastal fringe. I was amused when staying there for a few days in August 1977, having been to a conference in humid Washington DC. It was very warm indeed in SF by their standards, mid-80s (30C) from memory only. Still heard visitors on cable cars talking about how cold the place was.

[ColdCanadian]

Originally Posted by Infamous92

Wow that's almost exactly like Baltimore, never knew Athens was that warm (hot by European standards).

Athens (and Greece in general) has more in common with the Middle East (Lebanon/Isreal) than Europe, imho.

Seems whenever it's not winter like Mar-thru-Nov, it's "always" 20+ C/68+ F and sunny.
I think Athens has one of the most enviable climates, out of climates that still get a "winter."

[wavehunter007]

Originally Posted by city_data91

Well-traveled Americans realize San Francisco has cool summers. But you'd be surprised at how many people think San Francisco is warm just because it's in California. I know people that went to San Francisco in the summer expecting 90 degrees and warm water. To their surprise, it was 70 and the water was cold.

I don't think I could live in San Francisco. Even though the winters are mild, the cool summers would get to me.

That’s one of the tough things for people who grew up on the East Coast of the USA...and move to much of coastal California…you miss real summer. My aunt who was rasied in Bailtmore then moved to San Francisco for work when she got older always says this. To this day, she still says she missed the broiling East Coast beach days and the warm Atlantic Ocean. She makes a joke and says summer in Maryland used to remind her of the Caribbean Islands…and summer in northern California reminds her of a cool spring on the East Coast –lol.

[ilovemycomputer90]

Originally Posted by wavehunter007

That’s one of the tough things for people who grew up on the East Coast of the USA...and move to much of coastal California…you miss real summer. My aunt who was rasied in Bailtmore then moved to San Francisco for work when she got older always says this. To this day, she still says she missed the broiling East Coast beach days and the warm Atlantic Ocean. She makes a joke and says summer in Maryland used to remind her of the Caribbean Islands…and summer in northern California reminds her of a cool spring on the East Coast –lol.

I never realized how chilly it was in San Francisco during the summer. Highs generally in the 60s? Sounds absolutely lovely to me.

[city_data91]

Originally Posted by wavehunter007

That’s one of the tough things for people who grew up on the East Coast of the USA...and move to much of coastal California…you miss real summer. My aunt who was rasied in Bailtmore then moved to San Francisco for work when she got older always says this. To this day, she still says she missed the broiling East Coast beach days and the warm Atlantic Ocean. She makes a joke and says summer in Maryland used to remind her of the Caribbean Islands…and summer in northern California reminds her of a cool spring on the East Coast –lol.

I think I could live further down on the California coast (San Diego/Los Angeles). They get into at least the mid 70s for an average high during the summer. Plus the winters are even warmer than San Francisco (not that SF winters are cold).

[RWood]

I liked the Pacific vibe/feel of San Francisco, totally different to the much less familiar landscapes and climates of the midwest and east. After a year in the latter it still felt somewhat alien to me by comparison.

[tvdxer]

People judge how cold or warm somewhere is in relation to their hometown. For me, for example, a winter in Washington D.C., New York, or even Boston would be lovely; however, a person from Ponce or Miami might think it's masochistic. Likewise, a summer in D.C. would be brutal for the average person from Duluth, but a person from Bangkok or Dubai would probably take it in stride.

[MrMarbles]

I was in SF in August - it is kind of cold, though I think if it weren't for constant breeze it would be fine. As long as the sun is shining you can get away with just a t-shirt on.

Oakland, just over the bridge, has a much better climate - warmer summers and less fog.