Austin weather and San Francisco weather are just about as opposite as you can get. You’ll either love one or the other, probably not both.
Austin Weather
Austin weather is much warmer, overall, than San Francisco weather. Winters are fairly short (January – early March) and summers are fairly long. Spring and Fall are not as noticeable in Austin as they are in other cities. We don’t get a magnificent changing of the colors or that first day when you know winter is almost over. But, there aren’t too many cities where you can sit outside and have dinner most months of the year. If you like the outdoors, you’ll get to enjoy it for many more days than if you lived in San Francisco. Where most cities hibernate for the Winter, Austin hibernates for the Summer. The other 10 months of the year we’re enjoying the wonderful city.
Is Austin Heat Really that Bad?
One thing that really surprised me when I moved to Austin is 95 degrees in Austin does not feel like 95 degrees. 95 degrees (and pretty much anything under 100) feels comfortable. Most days its not too humid, so you really don’t sweat until its about 105. Lucky for you, the Summer of 2011 has been the worst Summer in Austin in years. So, if you’re considering making the move, likely we won’t have another record year for quite some time and you’ll get to enjoy 95 degrees as opposed to 105 degrees.
San Francisco Weather
Where Austin has a lot of warm days, San Francisco has a lot of cold days. When I moved to Austin, I got to introduce an entire new article of clothing to my wardrobe…shorts. In San Francisco, I did not own one pair of shorts. Not because I don’t like wearing them. But, because you never needed them. Sure, a few days of the year you would probably be more comfortable in shorts, but on those days capris and a tank top would do. Living in San Francisco, you’ll own a lot of pants and sweaters. In Austin, you can live in shorts and dresses almost the entire year.
Is San Francisco Really that Cold?
Just as 95 degrees in Austin doesn’t feel that hot, 60 degrees in San Francisco does feel that cold. And, Summer in San Francisco is mostly in August and September. And even then, its maybe 80 degrees. I can remember many 4th of July’s where we bundled up in ski jackets to watch fireworks. There’s just something about the ocean that makes the air feel much colder than what the temperature reads.
Austin Weather vs San Francisco Weather
Is it hot in Austin? I’m not going to lie to you and say it isn’t. But, what I will say is if its 90 degrees outside, I’d much rather be in Austin over San Francisco at 90 degrees. Nearly every Austin home and business has air conditioning. Not too many homes in San Francisco have air conditioning. And, since most of the San Francisco homes were built in the 1940s-1960s (or even earlier), insulation is often sub par. You end up buying 5 fans to place at every angle of your bed just so you could be comfortable enough to fall asleep.
But, if heat is simply not your thing and you prefer to live bundled up in jackets and scarfs, San Francisco is definitely the place for you. If you don’t mind it being comfortable for most of the year and can tolerate 2 months of Summer, Austin should definitely be considered.