Texas weather? (Houston, San Antonio, Spring: transplants, tornadoes, earthquakes)

[rosarn3335]

Alright, I recently received a job offer in San Antonio and I'm thinking pretty hard about taking it. It's a great position and I've heard really good things about SA in general. Thing is, I also applied for and was offered a job in Colorado Springs and now I'm trying to decide between the two locations and to be completely honest, one of my major deciding factors is the weather! Either option will be better than where I'm currently at in Connecticut!

But here's the deal, I'm not planning on living in the heart of the city...I've read up a bit about smaller towns in the hill country and I'm thinking those might be more my style (as long as the commute isn't too awful), but the question still remains, how's the weather in this part of Texas? I lived in Salt Lake City for many many years and so I'm fairly used to the mountain west weather I'll find in Colorado Springs (although I am not a huge fan of the snow out your ears winters!) but I have never lived anywhere like Texas. Is it awfully hot in the summer? Humid? Like unbearable? I'll admit I do not do well in extreme humidity (living in CT has been a bit of an humidity eye-opener for me!) but a beautiful city and landscape and charm just might be enough to sway me...maybe!

What do you all think? Would it be real rough on someone like me who's never lived in anything like that?

[Merovee]

The summer is most miserable. Sensible people simply stay indoors and drive with the air conditioner on. I think you could get used to it, most out-of-towners do and tell me to quit complaining because the humidity is supposedly worse in Houston and in states along the Gulf Coast, it is the locals who complain like hell.

[L210]

I've been here my whole life, so I wouldn't know how hard it would be to adjust. San Antonio's humidity is not as bad as coastal cities, but it can get pretty uncomfortable. During really hot summers, the temperature will be in the upper 90s to over 100 with the humidity close to 100% which pushes the heat index well over 100 degrees. Other than that, the weather here is great. The Hill Country might see a little bit of snow and San Antonio will get a small amount of snow flurries once in a blue moon. When there's sleet or freezing rain (which is just a couple of times a year), the city pretty much shuts down because it makes no sense for us to invest in snow tires or chains. Every few years we have significant flooding, drought is more common, we're not affected much by hurricanes, no earthquakes, and tornadoes are rare. Downdrafts cause very isolated damage during severe storms.

[bsofa04]

Yes. It gets pretty hot during May-September. The summer months are rough, but if you don't spend too much time outside it's no big deal. Most transplants from the NE have a tough time the first summer but like anything, you get used to it. But, um, make sure your A/C unit is working and maintained.

Winters are nice. A few weeks of freezing temps scattered during the season. Rest of the time it's just cool to chilly.

Spring and Fall are when people fall in love with San Antonio. Absolutely gorgeous weather!

[Azure110]

Native local folks are actually quite used to it. I rarely hear local people complain about the heat/humidity here as much as those that move here from elsewhere.


Yes, the humidity is quite unbearable at times but that is the price you pay for almost non-existant snow here. With the exception of a freak snow storm every 10+ years, you will see flurries at the most during our winters here.

Hill country will probably suit you best based on your post.

[Merovee]

You must know locals that work outside in the heat or something. Everyone I have ever known from here hates the heat and the smarter ones will cover up fully before going outside because the sun is just terrible for the skin.

Most non-local people I have met must either be from the east where there is more humidity and think this is nothing or from up north and enjoy the heat after living in the miserable cold for years.

Unsure myself how the Hill Country is during the summer but I cannot imagine it being that much cooler to make a difference. It is always cooler there but I just don't know.

[Azure110]

Originally Posted by Merovee

You must know locals that work outside in the heat or something. Everyone I have ever known from here hates the heat and the smarter ones will cover up fully before going outside because the sun is just terrible for the skin.

Most non-local people I have met must either be from the east where there is more humidity and think this is nothing or from up north and enjoy the heat after living in the miserable cold for years.

Unsure myself how the Hill Country is during the summer but I cannot imagine it being that much cooler to make a difference. It is always cooler there but I just don't know.

Inside and outside both. Few complain. Very few, and the ones that do are not originally from Texas.

[Lee W.]

San Antonio is in a La Nina drought again, not uncommon here. Get used to water restrictions if you settle in the area. If you choose the Hill Country, check out the water supply status in any area you look at...some areas don't have very abundant water sources. Also the greater S.A. region is a flash flood prone area when it does get heavy rain, so don't settle in an area especially prone to flash flooding. Temps are just a little bit lower in the Hill Country, for the most part, compared with most of S.A. Hot summers, fairly brief mild winters, lovely wildflowers and nice temps in the spring, by May it's getting hot again, hot summers with temps in the upper 90's and some triple digits, usually by October it's cooling off and very nice!

[L210]

The sunshine is great for those with dark skin. Many people with dark skin who live up north unknowingly suffer from vitamin D deficiency.

[Dopo]

There's pretty much not winter in SA, but in the same way, there's no mountains in Texas.