What are the best places in the U.S. to spend a cool, comfortable summer?
Summer heat and humidity can seem relentless, with no relief in sight. Even moderately-high temperatures can be unbearable when combined with high humidity and nighttime temperatures that refuse to dip.
But there are places around the United States which are reliably cool and comfortable, even during the warmest months – July and August. I used our new Sperling Heat Index to identify the places with the desirable combination of moderate daytime temps, low humidity, and cool temperatures at night.
Of the 50 largest metro areas in the United States, Seattle, Portland and San Francisco have the most comfortable summers, with mild temperatures, cool nights and humidity so low it’s barely noticeable. (A full ranking of the 50 largest metros is at the end of this post, plus a ranking of all 361 U.S. metros.)
Top Ten Chill Cities (of the 50 largest U.S. metro areas)
Rank | Metro | Daytime high temp | Nighttime low temp |  Dew point | Relative humidity at high temp |
1 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 74.9 | 52.9 | 50.8 | 43% |
2 | Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA | 79.2 | 53.2 | 51.6 | 38% |
3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 78.5 | 55.6 | 52.6 | 41% |
4 | Denver-Aurora, CO | 83.3 | 53.4 | 46.3 | 28% |
5 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 83.4 | 55.6 | 53.5 | 36% |
6 | Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY | 80.3 | 60.0 | 59.3 | 49% |
7 | Salt Lake City, UT | 88.5 | 57.1 | 39.8 | 18% |
8 | Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI | 81.6 | 60.6 | 60.2 | 48% |
9 | Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI | 82.3 | 60.8 | 59.3 | 46% |
10 | Pittsburgh, PA | 82.7 | 60.3 | 60.2 | 47% |
(full list of 50 at the end of this post)
Click here to get the all the supporting data in a spreadsheet, including high temperatures, nighttime temperatures, dew point and relative humidity
Our analysis is unique in that it includes the average nighttime low temperature. Some places, especially those at high altitude, may have daytime high temperatures in the 80’s, but then drop into the 40’s at night, providing a welcome relief to the summer heat.
So how “chill†is summer in Seattle? At the time I’m writing this post (July 18th), Seattle has had only one day in excess of 90 degrees so far this year, and is forecast to end the month of July without any measureable rainfall for the month. Summers in the Pacific Northwest are probably the most pleasant in the U.S., and even the rain stays away, sometimes for a month or more at a stretch.
Thanks to the barrier of the Rocky Mountains, the West is almost immune to the stifling humidity of the Midwest and Eastern United States. It’s a rare day in any of the West’s coastal or mountain states when the humidity is enough to be noticeable, let alone uncomfortable.
And if you’re looking for cool vacation spot this summer, start with our list of Chill Cities. It’s not guaranteed but the chances are excellent that you’ll have great weather for your outdoor activities.
At the other end of our list of Chill Cities are the Sizzling Cities, where residents can expect to spend the summer sweltering. As one might expect, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Dallas lead this ranking, followed by Houston, Austin, and San Antonio. These summer “hotspots†combine high daytime temperature and stifling humidity with nighttime temperatures that often do not provide needed relief.
Click here to get the all the supporting data in a spreadsheet, including high temperatures, nighttime temperatures, dew point and relative humidity.
Sperling’s Chill Cities rankings for the 50 largest U.S. metro areas.
Rank | Chill Cities (metro areas) |
1 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA |
2 | Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA |
3 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA |
4 | Denver-Aurora, CO |
5 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA |
6 | Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY |
7 | Salt Lake City, UT |
8 | Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI |
9 | Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI |
10 | Pittsburgh, PA |
11 | Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH |
12 | Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA |
13 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI |
14 | Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, CA |
15 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT |
16 | Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH |
17 | San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA |
18 | Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI |
19 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA |
20 | New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA |
21 | Columbus, OH |
22 | Indianapolis-Carmel, IN |
23 | Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN |
24 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
25 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
26 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN |
27 | Baltimore-Towson, MD |
28 | Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN |
29 | St. Louis, MO-IL |
30 | Kansas City, MO-KS |
31 | Richmond, VA |
32 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA |
33 | Raleigh-Cary, NC |
34 | Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC |
35 | Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC |
36 | Birmingham-Hoover, AL |
37 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR |
38 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA |
39 | Oklahoma City, OK |
40 | Jacksonville, FL |
41 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL |
42 | Orlando-Kissimmee, FL |
43 | New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA |
44 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL |
45 | San Antonio, TX |
46 | Austin-Round Rock, TX |
47 | Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX |
48 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX |
49 | Las Vegas-Paradise, NV |
50 | Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ |
And here is the full Chill Cities ranking of all 361 metro areas.
Rank | Chill Cities (metro area) | Population |
1 | Anchorage, AK | 380,821 |
2 | Fairbanks, AK | 97,581 |
3 | Bend, OR | 157,733 |
4 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | 116,901 |
5 | Salinas, CA | 415,057 |
6 | Boulder, CO | 294,567 |
7 | Colorado Springs, CO | 645,613 |
8 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,439,809 |
9 | Olympia, WA | 252,264 |
10 | Missoula, MT | 109,299 |
11 | Bellingham, WA | 201,140 |
12 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 262,382 |
13 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | 351,715 |
14 | Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | 251,133 |
15 | Salem, OR | 390,738 |
16 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 299,630 |
17 | Longview, WA | 102,410 |
18 | Great Falls, MT | 81,327 |
19 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 269,637 |
20 | Spokane, WA | 471,221 |
21 | Corvallis, OR | 85,579 |
22 | Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA | 2,226,009 |
23 | Coeur d’Alene, ID | 138,494 |
24 | Duluth, MN-WI | 279,771 |
25 | Idaho Falls, ID | 130,374 |
26 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 483,878 |
27 | Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Goleta, CA | 423,895 |
28 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 4,335,391 |
29 | Denver-Aurora, CO | 2,543,487 |
30 | Utica-Rome, NY | 299,397 |
31 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 823,318 |
32 | Bangor, ME | 153,923 |
33 | Medford, OR | 203,206 |
34 | Pocatello, ID | 90,656 |
35 | Cheyenne, WY | 91,738 |
36 | Pittsfield, MA | 131,219 |
37 | Green Bay, WI | 306,241 |
38 | Wausau, WI | 134,063 |
39 | Kingston, NY | 182,493 |
40 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | 98,461 |
41 | Casper, WY | 75,450 |
42 | Carson City, NV | 55,274 |
43 | Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME | 514,098 |
44 | Wenatchee, WA | 110,884 |
45 | Binghamton, NY | 251,725 |
46 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | 107,702 |
47 | Billings, MT | 158,050 |
48 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1,836,911 |
49 | Ithaca, NY | 101,564 |
50 | State College, PA | 153,990 |
51 | Springfield, MA | 692,942 |
52 | Elmira, NY | 88,830 |
53 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 211,261 |
54 | Napa, CA | 136,484 |
55 | Logan, UT-ID | 125,442 |
56 | Syracuse, NY | 662,577 |
57 | Santa Fe, NM | 144,170 |
58 | Rapid City, SD | 126,382 |
59 | Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA | 563,631 |
60 | Worcester, MA | 798,552 |
61 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | 172,188 |
62 | Sheboygan, WI | 115,507 |
63 | Johnstown, PA | 143,679 |
64 | Bismarck, ND | 108,779 |
65 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 870,716 |
66 | Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY | 1,135,509 |
67 | Eau Claire, WI | 161,151 |
68 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | 400,721 |
69 | Glens Falls, NY | 128,923 |
70 | Erie, PA | 280,566 |
71 | Salt Lake City, UT | 1,124,197 |
72 | Flint, MI | 425,790 |
73 | Boise City-Nampa, ID | 616,561 |
74 | Reno-Sparks, NV | 425,417 |
75 | Yakima, WA | 243,231 |
76 | Appleton, WI | 225,666 |
77 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | 774,160 |
78 | Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI | 200,169 |
79 | Greeley, CO | 252,825 |
80 | St. Cloud, MN | 189,093 |
81 | Bay City, MI | 107,771 |
82 | Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA | 565,773 |
83 | Fond du Lac, WI | 101,633 |
84 | Rochester, NY | 1,054,323 |
85 | Fargo, ND-MN | 208,777 |
86 | Morgantown, WV | 129,709 |
87 | Grand Junction, CO | 146,723 |
88 | Altoona, PA | 127,089 |
89 | Battle Creek, MI | 136,146 |
90 | Albuquerque, NM | 887,077 |
91 | Mansfield, OH | 124,475 |
92 | Barnstable Town, MA | 215,888 |
93 | Flagstaff, AZ | 134,421 |
94 | Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI | 1,555,908 |
95 | Holland-Grand Haven, MI | 263,801 |
96 | Rochester, MN | 186,011 |
97 | Jackson, MI | 160,248 |
98 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | 162,958 |
99 | Ann Arbor, MI | 344,791 |
100 | Madison, WI | 568,593 |
101 | Racine, WI | 195,408 |
102 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | 464,036 |
103 | Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI | 4,296,250 |
104 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | 166,994 |
105 | Pittsburgh, PA | 2,356,285 |
106 | Canton-Massillon, OH | 404,422 |
107 | Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH | 4,552,262 |
108 | La Crosse, WI-MN | 133,665 |
109 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | 319,224 |
110 | Kennewick-Richland-Pasco, WA | 253,340 |
111 | Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA | 1,600,852 |
112 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | 326,589 |
113 | Redding, CA | 177,223 |
114 | Provo-Orem, UT | 526,810 |
115 | Akron, OH | 703,200 |
116 | Ogden-Clearfield, UT | 547,184 |
117 | Williamsport, PA | 116,111 |
118 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 3,279,833 |
119 | Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY | 670,301 |
120 | Lewiston, ID-WA | 60,888 |
121 | Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville, CA | 2,149,127 |
122 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 1,212,381 |
123 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | 197,559 |
124 | Janesville, WI | 160,331 |
125 | Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH | 2,077,240 |
126 | Norwich-New London, CT | 274,055 |
127 | Monroe, MI | 152,021 |
128 | Asheville, NC | 424,858 |
129 | San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA | 3,095,313 |
130 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | 124,454 |
131 | Fort Wayne, IN | 416,257 |
132 | Sioux Falls, SD | 228,261 |
133 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | 167,819 |
134 | Kokomo, IN | 98,688 |
135 | Springfield, OH | 138,333 |
136 | Lebanon, PA | 133,568 |
137 | Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI | 9,461,106 |
138 | Pueblo, CO | 159,063 |
139 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 821,173 |
140 | Cumberland, MD-WV | 103,299 |
141 | Farmington, NM | 130,044 |
142 | Dubuque, IA | 93,653 |
143 | Wheeling, WV-OH | 147,950 |
144 | Niles-Benton Harbor, MI | 156,813 |
145 | Cedar Rapids, IA | 257,940 |
146 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | 111,467 |
147 | Lima, OH | 106,331 |
148 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA | 12,828,837 |
149 | Ames, IA | 89,542 |
150 | Yuba City, CA | 166,892 |
151 | New Haven-Milford, CT | 862,477 |
152 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | 916,829 |
153 | Anderson, IN | 131,636 |
154 | Toledo, OH | 651,429 |
155 | New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA | 18,897,109 |
156 | Rockford, IL | 349,431 |
157 | Harrisonburg, VA | 125,228 |
158 | Columbus, OH | 1,836,536 |
159 | Winchester, VA-WV | 128,472 |
160 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 143,577 |
161 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | 549,475 |
162 | Lafayette, IN | 201,789 |
163 | Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | 1,756,241 |
164 | Reading, PA | 411,442 |
165 | Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH | 162,056 |
166 | Stockton, CA | 685,306 |
167 | Muncie, IN | 117,671 |
168 | Sandusky, OH | 77,079 |
169 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | 269,140 |
170 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | 231,891 |
171 | Bloomington-Normal, IL | 169,572 |
172 | Bloomington, IN | 192,714 |
173 | Johnson City, TN | 198,716 |
174 | Dayton, OH | 841,502 |
175 | Lancaster, PA | 519,445 |
176 | Kankakee-Bradley, IL | 113,449 |
177 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 569,633 |
178 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | 287,702 |
179 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 379,690 |
180 | Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | 309,544 |
181 | Lynchburg, VA | 252,634 |
182 | Peoria, IL | 379,186 |
183 | York-Hanover, PA | 434,972 |
184 | Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN | 2,130,151 |
185 | Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 413,344 |
186 | Chico, CA | 220,000 |
187 | Danville, IL | 81,625 |
188 | Iowa City, IA | 152,586 |
189 | Trenton-Ewing, NJ | 366,513 |
190 | Visalia-Porterville, CA | 442,179 |
191 | Ocean City, NJ | 97,265 |
192 | Charleston, WV | 304,284 |
193 | Springfield, IL | 210,170 |
194 | Terre Haute, IN | 172,425 |
195 | Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA | 865,350 |
196 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 5,965,343 |
197 | Columbus, IN | 76,794 |
198 | Roanoke, VA | 308,707 |
199 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | 472,099 |
200 | Morristown, TN | 136,608 |
201 | Atlantic City, NJ | 274,549 |
202 | Charlottesville, VA | 201,559 |
203 | Elizabethtown, KY | 119,736 |
204 | Decatur, IL | 110,768 |
205 | Fresno, CA | 930,450 |
206 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 5,582,170 |
207 | Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ | 156,898 |
208 | Cleveland, TN | 115,788 |
209 | Madera, CA | 150,865 |
210 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 1,283,566 |
211 | Winston-Salem, NC | 477,717 |
212 | Lincoln, NE | 302,157 |
213 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | 528,143 |
214 | Merced, CA | 255,793 |
215 | Amarillo, TX | 249,881 |
216 | Knoxville, TN | 698,030 |
217 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | 127,329 |
218 | Modesto, CA | 514,453 |
219 | Danville, VA | 106,561 |
220 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 365,497 |
221 | Springfield, MO | 436,712 |
222 | Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC | 636,986 |
223 | Baltimore-Towson, MD | 2,710,489 |
224 | Prescott, AZ | 211,033 |
225 | St. George, UT | 138,115 |
226 | Jefferson City, MO | 149,807 |
227 | Honolulu, HI | 953,207 |
228 | Salisbury, MD | 125,203 |
229 | Dover, DE | 162,310 |
230 | Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN | 1,589,934 |
231 | Bakersfield, CA | 839,631 |
232 | St. Louis, MO-IL | 2,812,896 |
233 | Bowling Green, KY | 125,953 |
234 | Topeka, KS | 233,870 |
235 | Columbia, MO | 172,786 |
236 | Durham, NC | 504,357 |
237 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO | 463,204 |
238 | Kansas City, MO-KS | 2,035,334 |
239 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | 723,801 |
240 | Gainesville, GA | 179,684 |
241 | Richmond, VA | 1,258,251 |
242 | Lawrence, KS | 110,826 |
243 | Burlington, NC | 151,131 |
244 | Dalton, GA | 142,227 |
245 | Evansville, IN-KY | 358,676 |
246 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA | 5,268,860 |
247 | Clarksville, TN-KY | 273,949 |
248 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 152,982 |
249 | Spartanburg, SC | 284,307 |
250 | Las Cruces, NM | 209,233 |
251 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | 147,137 |
252 | Owensboro, KY | 114,752 |
253 | Joplin, MO | 175,518 |
254 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | 1,130,490 |
255 | Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC | 1,671,683 |
256 | Decatur, AL | 153,829 |
257 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | 192,541 |
258 | Huntsville, AL | 417,593 |
259 | Jacksonville, NC | 177,772 |
260 | Anderson, SC | 187,126 |
261 | Lubbock, TX | 284,890 |
262 | Rocky Mount, NC | 152,392 |
263 | Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC | 1,758,038 |
264 | Jackson, TN | 115,425 |
265 | Wichita, KS | 623,061 |
266 | Rome, GA | 96,317 |
267 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | 118,572 |
268 | Birmingham-Hoover, AL | 1,128,047 |
269 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | 140,247 |
270 | Hot Springs, AR | 96,024 |
271 | Greenville, NC | 189,510 |
272 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | 269,291 |
273 | El Paso, TX | 800,647 |
274 | Jonesboro, AR | 121,026 |
275 | Macon, GA | 232,293 |
276 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | 298,592 |
277 | Goldsboro, NC | 122,623 |
278 | Gadsden, AL | 104,430 |
279 | Sumter, SC | 107,456 |
280 | Fayetteville, NC | 366,383 |
281 | Wilmington, NC | 362,315 |
282 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | 1,316,100 |
283 | Montgomery, AL | 374,536 |
284 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 556,877 |
285 | Columbia, SC | 767,598 |
286 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | 699,757 |
287 | Florence, SC | 205,566 |
288 | Hattiesburg, MS | 142,842 |
289 | Tulsa, OK | 937,478 |
290 | Valdosta, GA | 139,588 |
291 | Columbus, GA-AL | 294,865 |
292 | Warner Robins, GA | 139,900 |
293 | Jackson, MS | 539,057 |
294 | Tuscaloosa, AL | 219,461 |
295 | Gainesville, FL | 264,275 |
296 | Pascagoula, MS | 162,246 |
297 | Odessa, TX | 137,130 |
298 | Midland, TX | 136,872 |
299 | Dothan, AL | 145,639 |
300 | Tallahassee, FL | 367,413 |
301 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 4,224,851 |
302 | San Angelo, TX | 111,823 |
303 | Oklahoma City, OK | 1,252,987 |
304 | Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin, FL | 180,822 |
305 | Albany, GA | 157,308 |
306 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | 494,593 |
307 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 664,607 |
308 | Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | 138,028 |
309 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | 248,820 |
310 | Monroe, LA | 176,441 |
311 | Pine Bluff, AR | 100,258 |
312 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 448,991 |
313 | Mobile, AL | 412,992 |
314 | Jacksonville, FL | 1,345,596 |
315 | Baton Rouge, LA | 802,484 |
316 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 543,376 |
317 | Port St. Lucie, FL | 424,107 |
318 | Ocala, FL | 331,298 |
319 | Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR | 136,027 |
320 | Abilene, TX | 165,252 |
321 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | 702,281 |
322 | Lafayette, LA | 273,738 |
323 | Tyler, TX | 209,714 |
324 | Brunswick, GA | 112,370 |
325 | Alexandria, LA | 153,922 |
326 | Hinesville-Fort Stewart, GA | 77,917 |
327 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 398,604 |
328 | Sherman-Denison, TX | 120,877 |
329 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 2,783,243 |
330 | Savannah, GA | 347,611 |
331 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | 208,178 |
332 | Longview, TX | 214,369 |
333 | Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | 2,134,411 |
334 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | 321,520 |
335 | Lawton, OK | 124,098 |
336 | New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA | 1,167,785 |
337 | Lake Charles, LA | 199,607 |
338 | Lakeland, FL | 602,095 |
339 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 388,745 |
340 | Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX | 405,300 |
341 | Panama City-Lynn Haven, FL | 168,852 |
342 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL | 5,564,635 |
343 | Punta Gorda, FL | 159,978 |
344 | Tucson, AZ | 980,263 |
345 | San Antonio, TX | 2,142,508 |
346 | Austin-Round Rock, TX | 1,716,289 |
347 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 618,754 |
348 | Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 5,946,800 |
349 | Wichita Falls, TX | 151,306 |
350 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 6,371,773 |
351 | College Station-Bryan, TX | 228,660 |
352 | Waco, TX | 234,906 |
353 | Victoria, TX | 115,384 |
354 | Corpus Christi, TX | 428,185 |
355 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 406,220 |
356 | Las Vegas-Paradise, NV | 1,951,269 |
357 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 774,769 |
358 | Laredo, TX | 250,304 |
359 | Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 4,192,887 |
360 | El Centro, CA | 174,528 |
361 | Yuma, AZ | 195,751 |
Click here to get the all the supporting data in a spreadsheet, including high temperatures, nighttime temperatures, dew point and relative humidity.
I need to check out these criteria. San Francisco warmer than Portland? Where are you measuring these temperatures? SFO is much warmer than downtown, and LAX much cooler. And chill and cloudy San Diego, warmer than Sacramento? Can I doubt?
Yes Hcat, doubt away!
I find a little doubt and critical thinking is always a good thing, when there is so much misinformation and half-truths in the media and Internet.
As I mentioned in a reply to another comment, these average high temps for July and August are for the entire metro area, which includes not only the central city (or cities) but also the surrounding counties.
For example, the metro area of Eugene, Oregon is comprised of Lane Country, which itself stretches from the Pacific Ocean 117 miles inland to the peaks of the Three Sisters, rising 10,000 feet in the Cascade mountain range.
So an “average temperature” for the Eugene metro area is always going to be wrong to some extent.
I’m rethinking the notion of using reporting the Heat Index for metro areas, and use the average temperatures and dew point for the major cities instead.
Thanks,
Bert
You clearly have never been to Salt Lake. We are constantly over 100 and the July-August temps average over 90. I believe your data is wrong.
Steve.
Yes, this is part of the problem in talking about “metropolitan areas”. Metro areas include the central cities and the surrounding counties, which sometimes includes mountains and beaches in the same metro.
So climates can vary quite a bit even within the same metro area. As another poster points out, San Francisco temperatures vary greatly between the city and their airport, which is the site of most climate readings.
Maybe we should focus on the just the city and not the surrounding counties.
Best,
Bert
Well that’s what the article is about, temperature. 😛
How was the data calculated? They seem to be an average of June, July, and August, but do not seem to match the official reporting stations. For example, at Richmond Int’l, according to NOAA, only July has an average monthly high exceeding 89 F, but the spreadsheet gives 89.5 as the average JJA high
I enjoyed your list.
Having been to many of those cities, I think there is a lot more to life than just temperature.
Of your top three, only Portland has a good quality of life, IMHO. I really do not like traffic. And I would place Milwaukee and Minneapolis higher, because of quality of life, but I don’t think I could afford it there.
But, now I have to check out a bunch more cities.