After living in LA for a long time, moving to Austin, Texas makes the fall weather feel quite interesting at times.

Even though it's October, it's still hot during the day, and the mornings can be quite chilly.

Just when I think fall has arrived and pull out my long sleeves, a few days later I find myself turning the air conditioning back on.

LA also has days in the fall that suddenly get hot, thanks to the Santa Ana winds.

These are hot, dry winds that come down from the mountains over the desert, making some days feel like mid-summer even in the fall.

However, the fall heat in Austin is a bit different.

Austin is a region where warm air from the south and cold air from the north push and pull against each other as the seasons change.

Especially when considering the Texas Hill Country to the west of Austin, the fall weather becomes even more intriguing.

The Hill Country, as the name suggests, is an area of hills and valleys. Places like Dripping Springs, Driftwood, and Johnson City are representative of this region.

This area is often higher and more complex in terrain than downtown Austin, so when cold air settles into lower areas overnight, the morning temperatures in valleys or lowlands can be significantly cooler.

So, while a light long sleeve is enough in downtown Austin in the morning, there are days in the Hill Country outskirts that make you think of a jacket.

Looking at actual temperature data, these differences become even more apparent.

According to the National Weather Service's average data from 1991 to 2020, the average high temperature in October at Austin-Bergstrom Airport is about 83°F, or 28 degrees Celsius.

At first glance, it seems like fall is smoothly deepening, right? But the actual weather doesn't always reflect that.

In October 2025, there were as many as 21 days at Austin-Bergstrom Airport where the daytime temperature exceeded 90°F.

In just one month, you can experience both summer-like heat and the chill of approaching winter. That makes organizing your wardrobe quite tricky.

The biggest reason for these changes is the cold front.

As fall deepens, cold air from Canada and the northern U.S. begins to move south.

However, until then, warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico can linger over Austin.

When the south wind blows, temperatures rise again, sometimes reaching the upper 80s or close to 90°F, making it feel like summer has returned.

Then, when a strong cold front comes down from the north, the atmosphere changes dramatically.

The wind direction shifts, and temperatures drop, causing someone who was wearing short sleeves yesterday to look for a jacket the next day.

Of course, not every cold front brings a significant drop in temperature; it varies depending on the strength of the front.

That said, fall in Austin isn't just uncomfortable.

In fact, I think fall is one of the best seasons in Texas.

Places that are too hot to walk around in during the summer become much more pleasant starting in late October.

It's a great time to walk around the Barton Creek Greenbelt or near Lady Bird Lake, and it's also a good time to take a drive out to the Hill Country.

While the fall foliage doesn't start as vibrantly as in the Northeast from September, the trees in the Hill Country gradually change color as late fall approaches.

However, the timing of fall colors in Texas varies depending on the region and the weather that year. If you expect a colorful landscape just because it's fall, you might be a bit disappointed.

This year, October 2026 also showcases these characteristics of Austin well.

On October 9, the high temperature at Austin-Bergstrom Airport reached 92°F, which was 7°F higher than the average.

And on October 11, the National Weather Service forecast indicated that warm, humid weather would continue through the week, with a possibility of temperatures dropping later in the week as a cold front approached.

So, it's not yet time to put away all your summer clothes just because it's October.

When I lived in LA, I thought it was strange when the hot Santa Ana winds blew in the fall, but now that I'm in Austin, I see that the fall here has its own way of being unpredictable.

You might leave the house in thick clothes because it's chilly in the morning, only to sweat in the afternoon, or you might let your guard down because it's hot during the day, only to feel cold in the evening. Still, I don't mind this kind of weather. It also means that the long, hot Texas summer is finally coming to an end.

Austin's fall doesn't arrive suddenly; it seems to be a season where summer and winter tussle several times before gradually taking their places.