Why is southern California portrayed as having an endless summer? (Truckee: apartment, homes)

[Sealtite]

I knew that the winter months would be much cooler here before I moved, but it made me wonder why this part of the country is portrayed as being warm year-round. Sure, parts of it are comparably much more pleasant than most of the nation during the winter months, but it's not like you can go swimming or even walk around comfortably in shorts and a t-shirt on most days. So why is it so often portrayed differently in movies and other cultural references?

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Sealtite

I knew that the winter months would be much cooler here before I moved, but it made me wonder why this part of the country is portrayed as being warm year-round. Sure, parts of it are comparably much more pleasant than most of the nation during the winter months, but it's not like you can go swimming or even walk around comfortably in shorts and a t-shirt on most days. So why is it so often portrayed differently in movies and other cultural references?

Because it is warm year-round and you can go swimming or even walk around comfortably in shorts and a t-shirt on most days.

[Huckleberry3911948]

bek its true. our leaves fall at christmas, my fig tree 5 minutes ago taken on my cell phone camera. .

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/i...racpone002.jpg

[MountainBiking]

Its the California charm.

-Cheers.

[bowneline]

Sure, parts of it are comparably much more pleasant than most of the nation during the winter months

I think this is a pretty large understatement. "...comparably much more pleasant," does not do justice to the fact that we have many more sunny days, and rarely have daytime temps lower then the 60's, when most of the country has to deal with regular daytime temps in the 20s,30s and 40s during the winter, along with snow, and many cloudy days.

Southern California can and does have summer-like days during the winter, on a pretty regular basis, but it also has its fair share of cool days too. That part does get lost in the shuffle when people talk about Southern California weather.


Probably because people are trying to make others jealous, which works much better if you focus on the nice days, and not mention the cool days.

But, I also disagree that people can't be comfortable in t-shirts most days. The average winter daytime high temperatures in coastal Southern California range from the mid-60s to the lower 70s. Maybe you get cold easily, but when its, say, 69 and sunny, I am not in jeans and sweatshirt (i'm not in a bathing suit either). Yes, there are plenty of days when people will want to wear a sweatshirt and jeans out, but i think they are outnumbered by the pleasant days.

The one, thing, however that seems to catch people off guard when they move here is how cold it can get at night. As you know, its not unusual to have nights in the low 40s, or even high 30s during the winter. I think that catches people by suprise, because that is pretty cold.

One thing I do notice, also, is that some people in Southern California seem to think that we have the best winters, or that "the rest of the Country" is suffering through cold and dreary winters. But, in fact, a pretty sizable swatch of the country, from southern Arizona, to Southern Texas and the Gulf states and Florida, have winters that are not too much different than ours (or even warmer, in the case of southern Florida, or extreme southern Texas).

I think some people in Southern California would prefer to think that the rest of the country is buried under ice and snow.

[Atsuke]

You can blame the entertainment industry for that portrayal. Coming from the Bay Area to LA for school, I'd thought that LA would be hot in the summers and mild in the winters. It's only 5 PM right now and I'm freezing my ass off. Southern California does in fact get chilly.

Although I have to agree that the Bay Area is generally colder by a few degrees on average, something that was evident when I flew back home for Thanksgiving week. Brrr!

Originally Posted by bowneline

I think some people in Southern California would prefer to think that the rest of the country is buried under ice and snow.

That's somewhat true. I've actually had some SoCal friends reply "Why would I want to go to NorCal? It's always cloudy and raining" when I'd invite them up there to show them around. Oh, man.

[jc76]

I'm in San Luis and we have a freeze warning. Low 20's tonight. My apartment is freezing.right now, guess ill have to figure out how to use the heat contraption. It's actually colder here right now than it is.back home by Chicago.

[.highnlite]

Originally Posted by jc76

I'm in San Luis and we have a freeze warning. Low 20's tonight. My apartment is freezing.right now, guess ill have to figure out how to use the heat contraption. It's actually colder here right now than it is.back home by Chicago.

Neither NOAA nor intellicast are calling for freezing temps tonight, nor any night in the next few.

One of the surprises for me moving down here was to see well heads on rural homes, the pvc pipe comes directly off the well pipe to the pressure tank, no insulation, no heat tape.

That is a clear indication that temps below freezing are extremely rare in the central coast area.

on rural wells at Truckee, and most places in the Sierra, the well head and pressure tank are enclosed in an insulated shed structure with electric heat all winter long. a power failure and no generator can cause your well head to freeze 6 feet into the ground blowing all pipe. That is cold, and we just don't get it in California along the coast or at elevations below 1,000 ft.


How many of you that claim it is cold in So Cal own Sorel's?

[Capt. Dan]

Originally Posted by .highnlite

Neither NOAA nor intellicast are calling for freezing temps tonight, nor any night in the next few.

One of the surprises for me moving down here was to see well heads on rural homes, the pvc pipe comes directly off the well pipe to the pressure tank, no insulation, no heat tape.

That is a clear indication that temps below freezing are extremely rare in the central coast area.

on rural wells at Truckee, and most places in the Sierra, the well head and pressure tank are enclosed in an insulated shed structure with electric heat all winter long. a power failure and no generator can cause your well head to freeze 6 feet into the ground blowing all pipe. That is cold, and we just don't get it in California along the coast or at elevations below 1,000 ft.


How many of you that claim it is cold in So Cal own Sorel's?

Sorels?? I havent seen any Sorels since I spent some time in Northern Wisconsin!!

[blauskies]

Everyone always complains that the Endless Summer is South Florida, currently 76F, current water temp 80F here in Miami.