Redwood City stretches from the San Francisco Bay towards the Santa Cruz Mountains between
San Carlos to the northwest and
Atherton to the southeast with
Woodside to the southwest. It is divided by
Highway 101 and further inland
El Camino Real on the northwest–southeast axis and
Woodside Road on the north-northeast/south-southwest axis. Locally, the former two are regarded as north–south and the latter east/west, as 101 and El Camino connects Redwood City to
San Francisco and
San Jose and Woodside Road runs from
San Francisco Bay to the
Santa Cruz Mountains. Neighborhoods include Bair Island to the northeast of Highway 101. The northern planned community of
Redwood Shores, also to the northeast of Highway 101, is part of Redwood City, although it is not possible to travel by road from one to the other without passing through the neighboring city of San Carlos, or through Belmont via San Mateo County. Stretching along Highway 101 to the southeast of Woodside Road is Friendly Acres, further inland and still to the southeast of Woodside Road are Redwood Village and then Redwood Oaks. Most neighborhoods are to the northwest of Woodside Road and southwest of Highway 101. Centennial, Downtown, and Stambaugh Heller are adjacent to 101. Next inland are Edgewood, Mt. Carmel, Central and Palm then Canyon, Eagle Hill, Roosevelt, and Woodside Plaza. Furthest inland is Farm Hills (or Farm Hill). Neighborhoods associated with Redwood City but not part of the incorporated city include
Emerald Lake Hills and Kensington Square inland and to the north and
North Fair Oaks to the southeast. Palomar Park, just north of Emerald Hills and east of San Carlos' Crestview area, is another Redwood City neighborhood that is formally part of unincorporated San Mateo County. Although Redwood City has a large middle class, the southeastern section of Redwood City strongly resembles working-class
North Fair Oaks in both demographic makeup and income level.
Downtown In an attempt to revitalize Redwood City's downtown, city officials decided to consider development. In February 1999, the
San Mateo County History Museum opened inside the old San Mateo County Courthouse in downtown Redwood City. The courthouse had been built in 1910 and in the late '30s an addition was built in front of the original structure, obscuring the view. As part of the revitalization, this addition was torn down and replaced with a large courtyard flanked by water fountains on either side, leading to the main steps of the courthouse. The courthouse's glass dome is lit at night and changes colors every 11 seconds. In August 2006, a 20-screen theater and various shops opened in a prime downtown location. The theater complex boasts restaurant and retail space at street level and a two-level underground parking structure.
Climate Redwood City, along with most of the Bay Area, enjoys a mild
warm-summer Mediterranean climate (
Köppen Csb), with warm, dry summers and cool, relatively wet winters. The
National Weather Service, which maintains both a forecast center and a cooperative office in Redwood City, reports that December is the coolest month and July is the warmest month. The record highest temperature of was recorded on three occasions, July 14 and 15, 1972, and September 6, 2022. The record lowest temperature of was recorded on January 11, 1949. Annually, there are an average of 21.6 afternoons with highs of or higher and 2.8 afternoons with highs of or higher; there are an average of 1.8 mornings with lows of or lower. The normal annual precipitation is , although it has ranged from as little as in the "rain year" from July 1975 to June 1976, to as much as between July 1982 and June 1983. The most rainfall in one month was in February 1998. The record 24-hour rainfall of occurred on October 13, 1962. There are an average of 62.1 days with measurable precipitation. Snow flurries have been observed on rare occasions; there was some minor snow accumulation in May 1935, January 1962, and February 1976. }} ==Demographics==