🇺🇸 Saint Paul vs 🇺🇸 San Francisco

Saint Paul is Minneapolis's twin city on the Mississippi River, the state capital, and home to the famous Winter Carnival celebrating rather than suffering through the extreme cold. The Mississippi River valley location means significant river fog and cold air pooling in the valley while the bluffs above stay clearer. St. Paul gets slightly colder winters than Minneapolis due to its more eastern and valley-bottom position.

San Francisco's climate is shaped by its position on a peninsula surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. The coastal fog (Karl the Fog) rolls in through the Golden Gate each summer afternoon, keeping temperatures mild year-round. The city has dramatically different microclimates — the Sunset District fog-bound while the Mission basks in sun on the same day.