Warmest US Cities in Winter

Warmest US Cities in Winter

by Liz Osborn © Current Results Nexus

Ten of America's 40 largest cities average daily temperatures above 50 °F (10 °C) throughout winter.

During December, January and February, large cities with the warmest climates in United States sit along California's Pacific coast. Texas is another state with major cities that have warm weather during winter.

Major cities included in these weather rankings are all the cities in the United States with over 440,000 people on July 1, 2006, according to the US Census Bureau's estimates.

US cities with the highest normal daily mean temperatures in December, January and February:
City - Daily Winter Mean °F
Los Angeles, California 58.9
San Diego, California 58.1
Long Beach, California 57.5
Phoenix, Arizona 57.2
Jacksonville, Florida 54.6
Houston, Texas 53.6
San Francisco, California 53.3
Tucson, Arizona 52.9
San Antonio, Texas 52.5
Austin, Texas 52.3



Highest Winter Temperatures
The highest winter temperature ever recorded among the 40 largest cities in the US is 100 °F (37.8 °C) in San Antonio, Texas. Austin, Texas has come close, reaching a 99 °F high in February.

Normally, though, city climates are much cooler than this, even for those two record-setting cities. No major American cities have normal daily maximums above 70 °F (21.1 °C) during winter months.

US cities with the highest normal daily maximum temperatures in December, January and February:

City - Average Daily Maximum °F
Los Angeles, California 68.8
Phoenix, Arizona 68.6
Long Beach, California 68.4
San Diego, California 66.1
Tucson, Arizona 65.8
Jacksonville, Florida 65.8
Houston, Texas 64.5
San Antonio, Texas 64.4
Austin, Texas 62.6

Warmest Low Temperatures
While all the major US cities have record low temperatures that are below 32 °F (0 °C), many keep above freezing for most the winter. Among the 40 largest American cities, nine in winter stay over 40 °F (4.4 °C) on average throughout the day.

US cities with the highest normal daily minimum temperatures in December, January and February:
City - Average Daily Minimum °F

San Diego, California 50.0
Los Angeles, California 49.0
San Francisco, California 47.2
Long Beach, California 46.5
Phoenix, Arizona 45.7
Jacksonville, Florida 43.4
Houston, Texas 42.8
Austin, Texas 42.0
San Antonio, Texas 40.6

I love a good snowfall, as it acts as a silencing blanket on the usual sounds of traffic. Fall in NC is fabulous with the colors of the trees, and spring blossoms on trees overarching streets are a wonder.
No thanks. Spent a long time in FL where there was tourist season, and then there was hurricane season. And you drive quickly before the old 30-foot palm frond hits the car.

Most of the warm winter cities on the list are in California and Texas.

I used to live in Florida in the 60s, but then I got smart and moved to California.