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Old 03-20-2016, 07:35 PM
 
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Actually the second the biggest complaint (first of course is the COL) from the East Coast transplants to the Bay Area is the disappointingly cool summer weather in San Francisco and the immediate coast. It just almost never feels like "summer" at Ocean Beach outside a few odd days here and there scattered throughout the year. In a place like Cape Cod or Atlantic City, you deal with snowstorms and subfreezing temperatures for much of winter but you get a nice consistantly warm summer with highs in the 80s and balmy nights with lows in the upper 60s and SST in the 70s that are conducive to enjoying the beach. Yes, they get rain in summer and the Bay Area doesn't but often their summer rain is warm and short lived and one can still walk around in summer attire in a summer downpour there and then the sun comes out. Yes, there are bigger storms that last all day or even for a couple of days but about 80-90 percent of July and August days at least have some beach weather in them. The Bay Area coast's SST almost never break 60F and jacket weather rules on the shore. Inland does get sunny warm days but those nights are way too cold for summer standards. A high of 95 followed by a low of 50 is just annoying. Even San Diego's beaches are too cool in summer in most years but last year was just perfect and we got a few days of that handsome warm rain that is impossible in Sacramento or the Bay Area. Bay Area has depend on full-on direct sunshine to get above 60 degrees (if it's overcast there, temperatures are pretty much guaranteed to be in the 50s in a given spot) while Southern California can sometimes have a "warm marine layer" with temperatures in the upper 60s or 70s under the overcast skies.

Last edited by ABrandNewWorld; 03-20-2016 at 07:46 PM..
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Old 03-20-2016, 10:52 PM
 
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Interesting, where would you say this transition roughly takes place between the north and south weather style? SLO area?
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Old 03-20-2016, 11:01 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ABrandNewWorld View Post
Actually the second the biggest complaint (first of course is the COL) from the East Coast transplants to the Bay Area is the disappointingly cool summer weather in San Francisco and the immediate coast. It just almost never feels like "summer" at Ocean Beach outside a few odd days here and there scattered throughout the year.
I know that, and that is why I like Sacramento and coastal San Diego & LA better in the summer than SF.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ABrandNewWorld View Post
In a place like Cape Cod or Atlantic City, you deal with snowstorms and subfreezing temperatures for much of winter but you get a nice consistantly warm summer with highs in the 80s and balmy nights with lows in the upper 60s and SST in the 70s that are conducive to enjoying the beach. Yes, they get rain in summer and the Bay Area doesn't but often their summer rain is warm and short lived and one can still walk around in summer attire in a summer downpour there and then the sun comes out.
But California and not just coastal California, places like Sacramento and even the mountains and far north do not experience inclement weather for 5-6 months out of the year. It's a big feature in Mediterranean climates. It is pretty rare to have your outdoor party disturbed by rain or any inclement weather.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ABrandNewWorld View Post
Yes, there are bigger storms that last all day or even for a couple of days but about 80-90 percent of July and August days at least have some beach weather in them. The Bay Area coast's SST almost never break 60F and jacket weather rules on the shore. Inland does get sunny warm days but those nights are way too cold for summer standards.
Yes, SF nights and mornings, are "too cold for national summer standards" but not inland Bay Area cities nor Sacramento. SF is down to 58F by 8pm, but inland Bay Area cities nor Sacramento are that cool by the evening as the very cool temps (less than 63F) come later at night and in the morning.

These cool summer nights are awesome and unique by national standards. Few major metros have cool summer nights and mornings like NorCal.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ABrandNewWorld View Post
A high of 95 followed by a low of 50 is just annoying. Even San Diego's beaches are too cool in summer in most years but last year was just perfect and we got a few days of that handsome warm rain that is impossible in Sacramento or the Bay Area. Bay Area has depend on full-on direct sunshine to get above 60 degrees (if it's overcast there, temperatures are pretty much guaranteed to be in the 50s in a given spot) while Southern California can sometimes have a "warm marine layer" with temperatures in the upper 60s or 70s under the overcast skies.
A high of 95F with a low of 50F in the summer - rarely happens in the SF Bay Area nor Sacramento.

SF's summer average is more like high of 67F low of 56F. Sacramento's summer average high of 89F(heat index) low of 58F. In Sacramento, it cools dramatically daily but not to the point where it feels "cold", the average low of 58F is in the morning and simply gives us a great way to start the day for several hours of comfortable weather. It doesn't feel cold, rather it means very comfortable evenings, nights, and mornings.

Last edited by Chimérique; 03-20-2016 at 11:14 PM..
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Old 03-20-2016, 11:04 PM
 
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Originally Posted by weiwuwei View Post
Interesting, where would you say this transition roughly takes place between the north and south weather style? SLO area?

more Santa Barbara but if you're really looking for "usable beaches' I'd suggest San Diego or South Orange County. Be warned that there are some summers that even fail to deliver in San Diego. Here's a thread with the weather data from both the coldest and warmest summer recorded in San Diego's record keeping history.

Which coastal weather did you like better? 2010 (coldest summer) or 2015 (warmest summer)
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Old 03-20-2016, 11:12 PM
 
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Some more SF and SD comparisons, and one of the reasons why I like NorCal better than SoCal.

Average Yearly Rainfall:

NorCal:
San Francisco - 24 inches; Sacramento - 21 inches; Redding - 35 inches


SoCal: Way too dry
San Diego - 10 inches; Riverside - 11 inches; Bakersfield - 7 inches

National average is around 33 inches.
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Old 03-20-2016, 11:32 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chimérique View Post
Some more SF and SD comparisons, and one of the reasons why I like NorCal better than SoCal.

Average Yearly Rainfall:

NorCal:
San Francisco - 24 inches; Sacramento - 21 inches; Redding - 35 inches


SoCal: Way too dry
San Diego - 10 inches; Riverside - 11 inches; Bakersfield - 7 inches

National average is around 33 inches.

But all the rain comes in the form of cold, overcast days in the 50s in Northern California. No thanks.
Has Sacramento ever seen rain at a temperature above 65F before?

Here are some microclimates in the L.A area that do get more than 20 inches of rain BTW

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenda...fornia#Climate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasade...fornia#Climate
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Old 03-21-2016, 09:23 AM
 
Location: SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chimérique View Post
For the majority of Americans around the country adjustment is marginal in comparing the differences between coastal SoCal and coastal NorCal. As a Californian I never quite understood how folks from the east coast described the Bay Area as sunny and warm but now I do after traveling all over the country it is easy to see that coastal SoCal and NorCal are much more alike than different compared to other places around the country.

Having said that, the direct coast of say Ocean Beach in SF compared to PB in SD you will definitely feel a difference because SF ,likely will be windier longer, and the wind combined with just a 5-10 degree difference will make it feel it colder. Thicker, colder and longer lasting fog in SF than in SD.
Well obviously, they both for the most part have a Mediterranean climate but there are definitely noticeable differences between them on the coast. I loved living on the coast in SoCal but I would never consider living on the coast up here though unless it was Santa Cruz.
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Old 03-21-2016, 09:30 AM
 
Location: SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ABrandNewWorld View Post
Bay Area has depend on full-on direct sunshine to get above 60 degrees (if it's overcast there, temperatures are pretty much guaranteed to be in the 50s in a given spot)
Not really, you can get overcast or rain with temps in the 60's, yesterday that was the case.
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Old 03-21-2016, 09:39 AM
 
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NorCal coast might be chilly at times but is absolutely beautiful. Rugged coasts with gorgeous cliffs, aqua blue ocean. Carmel/Monterey/Pebble Beach on the footsteps of Big Sur, Marin County. You can do a whole lot worse. No you can't sun-tan or go in without wetsuit, but its more picturesque than many overcrowded SoCal beaches. And this is coming from someone who loves the SoCal beaches.
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Old 03-21-2016, 04:01 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sav858 View Post
Well obviously, they both for the most part have a Mediterranean climate but there are definitely noticeable differences between them on the coast. I loved living on the coast in SoCal but I would never consider living on the coast up here though unless it was Santa Cruz.
Why santa cruz?
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