Houston Heat (store, health, park)

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by nana053

Wrong. October in the north rarely sees 80s at all. Neither does May. I'm from Chicago. Believe me. We often have end of October temps that are like Winter. My kids used winter type Halloween costumes most years. Of course, those 100s in Houston are not normal either.

Here's Chicago's graph for comparison

Climate in Chicago, Illinois

October highs - low 70s and high 60s, May highs Mid 70s

Here's one for Atlantic City, NJ
Climate in Atlantic City Airport, New Jersey

Here's Central Park in NYC
Climate in New York Central Park, New York

Here's Buffalo, NY (further north and more extreme)
Climate in Buffalo, New York

Note that Buffalo doesn't even usually get to 80 in the summer.

I think you misread my statement. I said I was ASSUMING that 80s were average for a late spring for most (but not all) of the populated nation. Last I checked, the north wasn't most of the nation. And again, Chicago is far cooler than most of the country.

[SouthernBoy205]

Originally Posted by I LOVE NORTH CAROLINA

I like your Huntsville much better!!!!!

Thanks!

[nana053]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

I think you misread my statement. I said I was ASSUMING that 80s were average for a late spring for most (but not all) of the populated nation. Last I checked, the north wasn't most of the nation. And again, Chicago is far cooler than most of the country.

The OP is moving from the north, I think. Btw, Chicago is NOT far cooler than most of the country.

Check here: Even Salt Lake City doesn't usually get 80s in May or October nor does Richmond, VA according to these charts. Texas is actually warmer than most of the country. Apparently it's warmer than Atlanta, too.

http://www.climate-zone.com/climate/united-states/

[SouthernBoy205]

I know it has got to be warmer than Alabama because it feels like Fall here. I'm in North Alabama to be exact.

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by nana053

The OP is moving from the north, I think. Btw, Chicago is NOT far cooler than most of the country.

Check here: Even Salt Lake City doesn't usually get 80s in May or October nor does Richmond, VA according to these charts. Texas is actually warmer than most of the country. Apparently it's warmer than Atlanta, too.

Climate information for United States - Climate Zone

Chicago is too cooler than most of the country. How many other populated areas can you name that have winters as brutal as Chicago? By the end of August, the average highs have dipped down below 80. That is not common for most of the US.

Of course Texas is warmer than most of the country. A 4th grader knows that.

Either way, I'll admit I was off about most of the nation being in the 80s during these periods. Then again, spring doesn't technically end until mid-June, and most of the nation has indeed reached the 80s by that point.

Still, low 80s are more spring-like than summer, to me. So I stand by my statement of May and October being transition months.

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

Still, low 80s are more spring-like than summer, to me. So I stand by my statement of May and October being transition months.

You are very focused on Chicago as being an outlier. I grew up I the mid-Atlantic and lived in Virginia and Kansas City before living in Houston for many years (recently returned north). Based on my thermostat, summer comprises temps in the 80s and above, meaning my Houston summers typically ran from mid-April through mid-October.

As a native Texan, I can understand why temps in the low 80s are spring-like and transitional for you. For those of us who moved to Houston from more temperate climates, not so much. Keep in mind today is the last day of summer. Here in Philly, we haven't seen temps topping 80 degrees for a week, and don't expect to see them again until next May:

http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m514/johnmurphy02/Screenshot2011-09-20at124153PM.png (broken link)

I'm not complaining about that either, btw.

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by jm02

You are very focused on Chicago as being an outlier. I grew up I the mid-Atlantic and lived in Virginia and Kansas City before living in Houston for many years (recently returned north). Based on my thermostat, summer comprises temps in the 80s and above, meaning my Houston summers typically ran from mid-April through mid-October.

As a native Texan, I can understand why temps in the low 80s are spring-like and transitional for you. For those of us who moved to Houston from more temperate climates, not so much. Keep in mind today is the last day of summer. Here in Philly, we haven't seen temps topping 80 degrees for a week, and don't expect to see them again until next May:



I'm not complaining about that either, btw.

Where in this thread did I say I was a native Texan?

Low 80s, with even a nice breeze going, simply feels too mild to be characterized as a real summer. Just my opinion. Keep in mind that I'm someone who "hates" the heat and loves cool weather. So 80s aren't pleasant, but they aren't summer to me either.

To me, when people say things like "Houston summers are from mid-April through mid-October" that makes it seem like it is consistently hot, when it isn't. Highs in the 70s during April, October, the beginning of May, and the end of September are not all that rare in Texas. That's what I meant earlier by saying the change wasn't so gradual. Are May and October "cool"? No. But they aren't consistently summer-like, either.

You won't see highs in the 70s during the SOLID summer months, unless there's a storm.

[Nairobi]

As far as that forecast for Philadelphia, isn't it fair to say that the highs might be 80 or above if it wasn't raining?

It's also important to point out that in October and April, the lows are in the 50s/very low 60s on average. That's definitely not a typical summer night for most of the country.

It's just that Texas warms up so easily during the day (something that I've always wondered about). But with fall and spring days being as dry and breezy as they are, it still doesn't really feel like summer. That's just the way I see it.

[nana053]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

Chicago is too cooler than most of the country. How many other populated areas can you name that have winters as brutal as Chicago? By the end of August, the average highs have dipped down below 80. That is not common for most of the US.

Chicago winters vary considerably. Some winters are brutal, but really most are not. I lived there for over 30 years and really some winters we don't even get any snow. My girl scouts wanted to go cross country skiing and we didn't have even a powder many years. Other winters we had 24 inches of snow in 24 hours. That was very unusual though. The temps are quite variable as well.

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

Where in this thread did I say I was a native Texan?

Here:

Originally Posted by Nairobi

Well, I too am a native Texan, and I absolutely despise warm Christmases. For some odd reason, I seem to recall four distinct seasons in my childhood here in Texas. Most kids pay little attention to the weather anyway, but I don't remember winters being as mild as they actually are.

I'll leave it to you to sort through which version of your heritage is actually true.

As to the matter at hand:

Originally Posted by Nairobi

As far as that forecast for Philadelphia, isn't it fair to say that the highs might be 80 or above if it wasn't raining?

No - we are having a typical September. The average September temp in Philly is 77 degrees: Average Weather for Philadelphia, PA - Temperature and Precipitation. September 6 is that last day of the month where the average high is 80 degrees or above. This pattern remains until June 11 - the first day of "summer-like" weather when the daily average in Philly again reaches 80 degrees. With the OP being from New York (75 miles away), I suspect she is used to similar weather patterns, hence her opening post.

I actually have nothing invested in disabusing you of your notion of how you feel others, such as myself, experience summer in Houston and elsewhere. I started posting in this thread as novelty. The OP seems to have moved on and so shall I. If you have a world view on this matter that works for you, by all means, hold on tightly to it.