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This is what the area surrounding Sydney looks like...
This is what the area surrounding San Diego looks like...
Believe it has to do that the coast even in southern California is probably cooler than in Sydney. Cooler ocean fronts = less precipitation. That's why many of the world's deserts are located near upwelling currents in addition to being near a Hadley Cell which has less influence in the U.S. than other parts of the world. Cause it rains in our deserts during monsoon.
Definitely Sydney has no comparison to anywhere in the continental US... Parts of Sydney have never even recorded a frost! Sydney Observatory's record low is something like 2.1C!
I think Bangalow palms (Archontophoenix cunninghamia) can probably grow as far south as Hobart in Tasmania (42S).. record low there is only -2.8C.. not sure what the heat requirement is though but I think Joe90 was saying that he can grow them in Motueka.. so probably would be fine there.
Here's a quote from the International Palm Society forum..."archontophoenix cuninghamia grow down here In Tasmania(in cultivation) at 43' south i have a 20 foot one in my garden ."
This question isn't as simple as it first appears.
Many offer Southern California as a suitable candidate. Whilst average annual temperatures are very similar, its climate is Mediterranean (grading to semi-arid in parts) whilst Sydney is generally subtropical. It's not the archetype of a subtropical climate though as it can receive heavy winter rainfall at times(last week's near record falls being a case in point). Whilst plenty warm enough for me, we do see the occasional day in the low 70's in summer, more often in coastal suburbs. This again is atypical of a subtropical climate in summer.
Comparing Sydney to a city along the US east coast is also problematic. Average summer temps resemble those in the BosWash area, yet in "winter" we are as mild as Northern Florida. Rainfall is roughly comparable to NYC, drier in inland suburbs.
It is my contention that no US city offers a replication of Sydney's climate. If there was a highish mountain on the coast of southern or central Florida it may come close in general terms (but probably would receive a hell of a lot more rainfall).
Anyhow, for those who can't be bothered looking for them, here are the climate averages for Sydney (Observatory Hill), using 1981-2010 stats:
In imperial :
February (hottest month): 68/80
July (coldest month): 48/63
Rainfall: 48.1 in
Rainfall maximum: March or April (early fall)
Rainfall minimum: September (early spring)
It depends yearly of course. I find the Feb - June (and sometimes to July) period usually wet. On the other hand spring, in recent years, has shown extremes towards heavy rainfall and very changeable weather. It doesn't really get hot and humid here until late November/early December.
I think Sydney's climate (in terms of humidity) is more similar to that of the southern states - Georgia, Louisiana and Tennessee to name but three for example.
Southern CA’s climate sounds very similar to WA – much more so than here.
Sydney's avg temps have always reminded me of San Diego.
Rain and humidity-wise it's more similar to Florida than California.
I think temp patterns are more important than rain patterns in classifying world climates.
And here it's the opposite! Rain's much more important. We don't care much for sunny and dry weather. The next topic (or greetings) usually starts with "when it's gonna rain next?"
Also nearly 90% of Australia's population live on the coast which says it all.
It's an interesting question. I think Sydney summers are more Boston than anywhere near Washington, DC:
Sydney - 26.6/17.6 Jan (80F/63F) Riverview Observatory
DC - 88.5F/71.1F Jul NOAA data for Washington Reagan Airport
Sydney - 16.7/6.4 Jul (62F/43)
Jacksonville FL - 65F/42F Jan
DC is much warmer than Sydney in summer.
The problem with N. Florida is that on paper Jacksonville has a similar winter temp average, however, Jacksonville also has 18 days per year the temp falls below 32F. Even the month of November averages one occurance of 32F for a min temp. Jacksonville also averages five days per year the temp fails to reach 50F in winter. Sydney on the other hand averages .1 day per year (once every ten years) the temp falls below 32F and the lowest max temp ever recorded in Sydney is 10.3C (50.5F).
I'm not sure Australians realize how cold the low latitudes in the eastern US can get in winter, and that pretty much blocks any similarities with Australia. You certainly wouldn't be able to have the same garden plants in Jacksonville that you have in Sydney. Jacksonville went down to 7F in 1985, while Sydney's all time low is -1.7C( round 28.9).
I think you are correct. There really isn't any comparable climate here.
Lowest temperature, alone, in the city was 2C in 1932.
Suburbs outside the UHA has recorded temperatures as low as -7C.
We find minimums, especially with icy cold and dry westerly winds blowing, much colder compared to an humid S-SE'er.
For example a 6C night can feel like zero because of the wind and it can feel bitterly cold!
And here it's the opposite! Rain's much more important. We don't care much for sunny and dry weather. The next topic (or greetings) usually starts with "when it's gonna rain next?"
Also nearly 90% of Australia's population live on the coast which says it all.
I meant in terms of personal comfort, not mental comfort.
Maybe because Sydney's so stable annually you never noticed.
I know what it's like to never see highs above 10 C for several weeks,
and never seeing lows below 20 C for several weeks... all in the same year and location.
And here it's the opposite! Rain's much more important. We don't care much for sunny and dry weather. The next topic (or greetings) usually starts with "when it's gonna rain next?"
Also nearly 90% of Australia's population live on the coast which says it all.
"We" certainly does not include an occasional Sydney poster on this forum, who does not want to see any more rain at all - just the normal Aug-Sept sun.
It should be a basic lesson from this forum in general that personal preferences are just that, and no more.
I meant in terms of personal comfort, not mental comfort.
Maybe because Sydney's so stable annually you never noticed.
I know what it's like to never see highs above 10 C for several weeks,
and never seeing lows below 20 C for several weeks... all in the same year and location.
Mental or personal - doesn't matter either way.
Sydney so stable - lol - that's so hilarious.
Why do you think I moved here in the first place?!?
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