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Austin is located on the Colorado River where the stream crosses the Balcones escarpment separating the Texas Hill Country from the Blackland Prairies to the east. Within the City of Austin, elevations range from 400 to 1,000 feet above sea level. The climate is classified as "humid subtropical" with hot summers and mild winters. Freezing temperatures occur only about 25 days per year. Cold spells are short and seldom last more than two days. While summer days are hot, summer nights are usually pleasant. Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year.

Climate Normals

Attainment Status

The Austin region has a history of proactive air quality initiatives. The five-county region has successfully completed two voluntary air quality improvement initiatives: the 1-hour O₃ Flex Plan and the Early Action Compact (EAC) to address the 8-hour ozone standard. Through these initiatives, the region implemented emission reduction measures sufficient to keep the region in compliance of federal ozone standards despite a growth rate that far exceeds the national average.

The region is now developing an 8-hour O₃ Flex Program. This is the next generation of proactive, voluntary air quality initiatives, designed to keep the region in attainment of the current ozone standard through 2013.

The EPA has proposed lowering the ozone standard. A more stringent standard could affect the region’s attainment status. EPA will announce its decision on the proposed new standard in March 2008.

Since 1993, the CLEAN AIR Force of Central Texas (CAF), a coalition of business, government, environmental and community leaders, has coordinated public awareness and education campaigns. More than a decade of CAF outreach has provided a solid base of public understanding of air quality issues in the Austin region.

Kevin P. Scanlan

Your Austin Relocation Resource