CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — We've had a few mornings, including this one (Oct. 17), where temperatures have been in the low 60s, if not upper 50s across the Coastal Bend. South Texans crave cooler weather after our way-too-long and hot Summer; I know I do. That cute coat, or new furry boots, or favorite hoodie spend far too long in your closet and you are itching to break them out. But when?
Based on a Weather Channel poll of over 6,000 people across the country, the answer depends on where you live. In Texas, people start to bring out the long sleeves when temperatures drop below 60°. If we use the date when average low temperatures in Corpus Christi get below 60° as our qualifier for the beginning of sweater weather, it doesn't happen until November 6. Obviously, cooler mornings are sprinkled in to October as cold fronts start to arrive. But if you had to slap a date on it, I'd say sweater weather season 'officially' begins November 6th when you compare survey data to when average lows get below 60°, locally.
I'd argue that the temperature threshold is closer to 65° for people in South Texas to start grabbing for those extra layers. In general, people living in the south have a lower tolerance to cooler weather because we are less accustomed to it; cooler weather tends to be more of a shock when it arrives. You can see that reflected in the map above. Not surprisingly, folks up north complain about heat when it gets over 90°...no big whoop here. It's all about perspective.
Here's a state-by-state list of average sweater weather temperatures from the Weather Channel survey. Check out South Dakota at the bottom...they don't bundle up until temperatures get down to 51°!
State "Sweater Weather"
Arizona 65ºF
Nevada 65ºF
Florida 63ºF
Alabama 62ºF
California 61ºF
Delaware 60ºF
Georgia 60ºF
Indiana 60ºF
Iowa 60ºF
Kansas 60ºF
Louisiana 60ºF
Maryland 60ºF
Michigan 60ºF
Mississippi 60ºF
Missouri 60ºF
New Jersey 60ºF
North Carolina 60ºF
Ohio 60ºF
Oregon 60ºF
Pennsylvania 60ºF
South Carolina 60ºF
Tennessee 60ºF
Texas 60ºF
Utah 60ºF
Virginia 60ºF
West Virginia 60ºF
Wyoming 60ºF
Arkansas 59ºF
Illinois 59ºF
New Mexico 59ºF
Connecticut 58ºF
New York 58ºF
Rhode Island 58ºF
Colorado 58ºF
Massachusetts 57ºF
Kentucky 56ºF
Idaho 55ºF
Maine 55ºF
Minnesota 55ºF
Montana 55ºF
Nebraska 55ºF
New Hampshire 55ºF
North Dakota 55ºF
Oklahoma 55ºF
Vermont 55ºF
Washington 55ºF
Wisconsin 55ºF
South Dakota 51ºF
