After moving to Austin did anything surprise you? (Cedar Park, Lakeway: lease, house)

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by Austin97

I dont think that is really true

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/images/ewx/aus/ausmonrain.pdf

The austin average is 33 inches/year or so. In 2009 we had 34, 2012 we had 35.

I felt like we had a lot of rain last year. The years where the lakes fill up are like 45-50 inches.

My apologies to those who live at the airport

I'm pretty darned sure we haven't had anything like 35" of rain here in 78717 in any year since '08 and two 'average' years at the airport can't balance the severe drought since the rains' of '07.

Much of this falls into the 'lies, damned lies...and statistics' conundrum. The calendar year average for rain is hardly a useful stat when trying to understand how we can be in an exceptional or extreme drought when reportedly the area has received an 'average' amount of rainfall for two recent years.

The temperature 'averages' are just as confounding to those who arrived when we did. 96 for an average daily high in the hottest month of the year? We would have CELEBRATED any day under 100 for the first three summers here . I know averages and stats go back over 100 years; but there was nary a day of 85-90 degree highs to balance the 100-108 degree temps we experienced for 3-4 months at a stretch.

[EzPeterson]

I guess I wasn't really surprised, per se, as I commuted to/from Austin for 6 months before I moved, but here was what stuck me (ar at least what I can remember after all these years).

- 105 degrees doesn't seem that bad when you're on a boat. (hint: buy a boat, or join a boat-share club, your kids can thank me later)

- The variety, quality, value and accessibility of golf options. Rarely ever struggle to find a great course at a great price.

- How friendly people were in random places. You end up talking to people about nothing in the checkout line, and they don't look at you like you have 3 heads.

- BBQ is serious business. For real.

- No beer sold Sunday mornings, no hard alcohol sold all day Sunday! Plan ahead!

- Some serious NIMBY attitudes.

- Weird (and totally false) perceptions of areas/neighborhoods that continue to perpetuate without much basis in reality. (See: Austin, East of 35 - etc.)

- How many people whine about traffic and don't do a thing about it.

[CptnRn]

You need a lot more shorts and short sleeved shirts then you ever needed before.

You don't any winter coats, a few layers will usually do.

Studded snow tires are not allowed.

It can rain so heavy and hard you have to pull off the side of the road because you can't see and your windshield wipers (on high) can't keep up with it.

Hydroplaning is common in rains like that, you get used to it.

Winterizing your boat means replacing the short sleeved t-shirts with long sleeves.

Your car does not need a block heater.

You will sweat in the shade, even with a breeze.

Texas natives do drive friendly and often wave on the highway from town to town.

[cBach]

My main surprises were the lack of rainfall and how much Lake Travis can vary from year to year. I've never lived in a place where a shoreline can recede 50 feet in a year.

I was also surprised at the poor road system and lack of planning.

I was pleasantly surprised at how extensive the park system is, from LCRA parks to Austin Parks and Recreation to linear parks such as Brushy Creek, Barton Creek, Bull Creek, and the park in Anderson Mill. There are parks everywhere and they are all pretty nice. I was unpleasantly surprised to see how expensive the LCRA parks are (come on, $8 to visit a park when most cities parks are free?)

[scm53]

Originally Posted by cBach

I was also surprised at the poor road system and lack of planning.

Oh, believe me, it is WELL planned. There are some powerful interests here that view that not as a bug, but a feature.

[LanceD]

Not that many traffic cops. A good surprise.

Coming from Plano area, I saw them everyday trying to catch you. Not much down here. For the 7 months here, I only spot one traffic cop with his speeding gun pointed at commuters.

[eileenkeeney]

The fact that mass transit was eliminating service to areas, instead of adding in new areas of service, surprised me a bit.

The weather was not as uncomfortable as I had expected it to be. I think the wind chill, in the summer heat, makes it a bit more comfortable.

My asthma cleared up (which is now the main thing preventing me from jumping on an opportunity to move back to Oregon, while staying with the same employer).
(I am not allergic to Cedar, I am allergic to Douglas Fir and many grasses).

[Idlewile]

Originally Posted by scm53

Oh, believe me, it is WELL planned. There are some powerful interests here that view that not as a bug, but a feature.

Just poorly executed then.

[woodinvilleguy]

Two words: Bible belt.

[mesmer]

Originally Posted by 10scoachrick

My apologies to those who live at the airport

I'm pretty darned sure we haven't had anything like 35" of rain here in 78717 in any year since '08 and two 'average' years at the airport can't balance the severe drought since the rains' of '07.

Much of this falls into the 'lies, damned lies...and statistics' conundrum. The calendar year average for rain is hardly a useful stat when trying to understand how we can be in an exceptional or extreme drought when reportedly the area has received an 'average' amount of rainfall for two recent years.

The temperature 'averages' are just as confounding to those who arrived when we did. 96 for an average daily high in the hottest month of the year? We would have CELEBRATED any day under 100 for the first three summers here . I know averages and stats go back over 100 years; but there was nary a day of 85-90 degree highs to balance the 100-108 degree temps we experienced for 3-4 months at a stretch.

It's all in waves. I think in 2004? 2005? or so, we got so much rain that the barton greenbelt was a chest high river. During the middle of the summer. It was nuts.