Please just tell me if it gets cold in LA (Los Angeles: to move, clothes)

[miranda104]

So it gets freezing from time to time but it is not as cold as New York. All I care about is not freezing my ass off like I am doing here in New York. Right now it is 24 degrees and this is a normal temperature until like the end of March. Right now I am wearing two shirts a sweater and a coat with a hat and scarf. WHen I get to Santa Monica I can bet money I won't be dressed like this. All I need is my cool leather jacket and this should cover me if it gets a little cold which it will while being in Santa Monica, Burbank, and Montebello. Can't wait to get out of this frigid place called New York.

[vdy1985]

Originally Posted by txguy2009

Hmmm..weather alamanac has its average low for january this year at 47, at it hit 39f at least once. I don't see how this is "rarely" going under 50.

If you were talking about SoFL you'd be right.

Average low. In California, when the sun comes up it warms up right away. So when it is 47 degrees at 4:30am, it will be above 50 by 8am. And the high temps are nice in comfortable in the mid 60s.

[happ]

Originally Posted by txguy2009

False.

FL keys are only area in continental U.S. with no record of freezing temps. Even Miami beach has had snow/freezing temps. Even south Texas (Brownsville) had first snow in 100 years a few years back.

Laguna Beach for instance has hit 21f, and hit 20s in every month from november to march.

Seems like this is becoming a debate over climate but we can assure miranda104 that she/he will not need warm clothing except on rare occasions. The biggest decision is if one should wear socks with flip flops on winter days in LA

vdy1985 is correct. There are quite a few weather stations in coastal SoCal that have never recorded a freezing temperature. Even downtown during the past 2 record cold spells in 2007 & 1990 stayed above 32F & many areas of the city have never experienced frost. I should know since I record data like a faithful weather nerd & nearly all winters remain above 40F at night. Ask anyone in the LA basin if they have ever seen frost? There are micro-climates all over the area due to the mountains & ocean. On a summer day the temp in Santa Monica can be 75F while it's 85F downtown & 95F in the valleys [all less than 10 miles apart].

Parts of SoCal are in USDA zone 11 which means the average lowest temp is above 40F [only extreme south Florida & Hawaii are zone 11 or higher]. Even though Los Angeles is at the same latitude as Phoenix\ Dallas\ Atlanta, it is much warmer during winter & much cooler in summer. That's why the climate is one of the main reasons people rave about California.

[Scott5280]

Originally Posted by happ

Seems like this is becoming a debate over climate but we can assure miranda104 that she/he will not need warm clothing except on rare occasions. The biggest decision is if one should wear socks with flip flops on winter days in LA

vdy1985 is correct. There are quite a few weather stations in coastal SoCal that have never recorded a freezing temperature. Even downtown during the past 2 record cold spells in 2007 & 1990 stayed above 32F & many areas of the city have never experienced frost. I should know since I record data like a faithful weather nerd & nearly all winters remain above 40F at night. Ask anyone in the LA basin if they have ever seen frost? There are micro-climates all over the area due to the mountains & ocean. On a summer day the temp in Santa Monica can be 75F while it's 85F downtown & 95F in the valleys [all less than 10 miles apart].

Parts of SoCal are in USDA zone 11 which means the average lowest temp is above 40F [only extreme south Florida & Hawaii are zone 11 or higher]. Even though Los Angeles is at the same latitude as Phoenix\ Dallas\ Atlanta, it is much warmer during winter & much cooler in summer. That's why the climate is one of the main reasons people rave about California.

Actually I thought that there were reporting stations that never had a recorded freeze 32 degrees or less....TXman said I was wrong.... Where are those locations , do you know? I have always thought that zone 11
like you say is no frost...I am also somewhat of a So. Cal weather nerd
though I know longer live there...Happ, I have read some of your weather
observations and believe that you are pretty spot on target...any how here in Denver we had a high of 65 today--tomorrow it's going to be 34
and snowing---little cooler than Santa Monica---

[happ]

Originally Posted by Scott5280

Actually I thought that there were reporting stations that never had a recorded freeze 32 degrees or less....TXman said I was wrong.... Where are those locations , do you know? I have always thought that zone 11
like you say is no frost...I am also somewhat of a So. Cal weather nerd
though I know longer live there...Happ, I have read some of your weather
observations and believe that you are pretty spot on target...any how here in Denver we had a high of 65 today--tomorrow it's going to be 34
and snowing---little cooler than Santa Monica---

Here's zone 11 on this graph:
Digitalseed: USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: Southern California

One of the reasons for frost-free areas is that weather stations there aren't as old as the well-established cities [ie LA\ San Diego] and, to be honest, the "heat island" effect in urban areas is warming California. Also, we now have hundreds of weather stations where there were no houses 50 years ago. All the foothill areas surrounding Los Angeles [Malibu\ Hollywood Hills\ Beverly Hills\ El Sereno] experience diurnal night winds or downsloping of cold air & record some of the warmest minimum temps during winter. They refer to them as the "banana belts" because frost is unheard of & tropical plants do fairly well.

I used to work in the South Bay & would notice how mornings were warmer near the ocean during winter. The Pacific ocean is chilly but it keeps nights above freezing as far north as San Francisco which also has a 365 day growing season - same as Miami & Honolulu. But, as we know, San Francisco is much cooler than Florida & Hawaii; it just doesn't drop below freezing. All the records for cold temps are from the first part of last century.

[miranda104]

Happ you are right I will not need warm clothing like I do here in New York thats the main argument. Heres why right now in Manhattan it is 20 degrees I am about to go outside so I need to bundle up so I don't get frost bite and die in the cold. right now it is 59 degrees in Santa Monica with a high of 67 thats fantastic I don't see what's so cold about those temperatures. In Santa Monica all this week thy have a low of 50 degrees thats so nice. Over here in New York there will probably be a low somewhere in the teens. On Thursday there will be a high 79 degrees in Santa Monica I wish I were there I am a punk when it comes to cold weather. My uncle says it is cold over there to him and yeah yeah I read on the replies that it get down to the 40's at night and I say so what I don't think that is bad at all even if it gets down to the 30's at night that is cool with me because I am pretty sure it will not be 30 degrees all day long for an entire month. The main argument is clear to a New York/ North East Coast guy like me the California weather is wonderful fantastic great more than I can ask for. I cannot wait to spend my first winter outside New York over in Santa Monica and be nice and warm even if it is 30 degrees I will still feel nice and warm. The truth is 20 degrees in New York feels like 0 degrees it feels like your face is frozen. Thinking of the beautiful California weather just makes me want not go outside. I seriously cannot wait to get there. I am going to leave my coat here in New York I will not need it I mean yeah I spent $200.00 but oh well California is not a place where I should wear a coat unless I am a true jackass. Heh wearing a coat in California makes me laugh.

[vdy1985]

You will be able to wear flip flops in january. Although I don't think a NYC guy like you owns any.

[happ]

Originally Posted by miranda104

Happ you are right I will not need warm clothing like I do here in New York thats the main argument. Heres why right now in Manhattan it is 20 degrees I am about to go outside so I need to bundle up so I don't get frost bite and die in the cold. right now it is 59 degrees in Santa Monica with a high of 67 thats fantastic I don't see what's so cold about those temperatures. In Santa Monica all this week thy have a low of 50 degrees thats so nice. Over here in New York there will probably be a low somewhere in the teens. On Thursday there will be a high 79 degrees in Santa Monica I wish I were there I am a punk when it comes to cold weather. My uncle says it is cold over there to him and yeah yeah I read on the replies that it get down to the 40's at night and I say so what I don't think that is bad at all even if it gets down to the 30's at night that is cool with me because I am pretty sure it will not be 30 degrees all day long for an entire month. The main argument is clear to a New York/ North East Coast guy like me the California weather is wonderful fantastic great more than I can ask for. I cannot wait to spend my first winter outside New York over in Santa Monica and be nice and warm even if it is 30 degrees I will still feel nice and warm. The truth is 20 degrees in New York feels like 0 degrees it feels like your face is frozen. Thinking of the beautiful California weather just makes me want not go outside. I seriously cannot wait to get there. I am going to leave my coat here in New York I will not need it I mean yeah I spent $200.00 but oh well California is not a place where I should wear a coat unless I am a true jackass. Heh wearing a coat in California makes me laugh.

Sorry to hear of the cold temps. I lived in NYC for 3 years & loved every day because cold weather was all new to me & I love being out in the snow. It never snowed that much in Brooklyn because it borders the Atlantic. The Bronx was more likely to see snow. I remember the bare trees & cold gray skies but also how nicely it warms in May showers. I like seasons but prefer warmer weather year-round.

It will get cold in California next week with an arctic storm heading our way. Probably nights in the 40's & colder in the valleys & days barely 60F if that for a few days.

[FrostyThe2nd]

Miranda, if you're going to like LA winter, I think you'll love the summer. Of course it depends on where you'll live, but SoCal is extremely diverse topographically. If you'll be in the coastal or basin areas, winters are mild and so are the summer. If Burbank, temps can get toasty mid summer-early fall. You asked for the best months in LA earlier, my opinion: If the inlands and valleys, spring and late fall when temps are in the 70s. If the coast, I would say throughout the year except mudslides from Dec-March. Temps along the coast and not Long Beach hardly goes beyond 80 (maybe 10 days out of a year with 85+ temps). The basin is pretty comfortable most of the year, of course there are those rare exceptions. For me, the best weather is the weather that I don't feel or concern myself about, like room temperature. I know a lot of people like hot weather and cold. The key is, there's a 30 degree spread of temperature within 15 miles in SoCal. That's not even including the mountains. There's a good chance you'll fall in love with the weather there. Hope you enjoy LA.

[miranda104]

Hey Frostythe2nd I am pretty sure I will love the winter in Southern California. My uncle tells me I will do fine there. My aunt from Long Beach said she would not want to live anywhere else and says the weather is the greatest all year round.

People keep saying it will be 30 degrees heres my other question During the months from January thru March will it be 30 degrees during the day? I am not talking about the night time since I keep seeing replies that say it will get cold with frigid temperatures. Why do people keep saying it gets cold when I see the temperatures for Santa Monica and it says a low of 50 how is that cold.

Like I said a million times before California will never be as cold as the east coast thats what I am trying to say. Maybe a few times out of the year the temperatures are unbearable I don't even believe that but I am sure it will get a little cold but to a New Yorker it will be hot.

vdy1985 you are absolutely right I do not own flip flops you can only wear them a couple months out of the year. Besides I hate flip flops because I never wore any. When I get to Santa Monica I will wear flip flops go to the beach and take a picture and send it to my friends in New York and tease them about having great weather in beautiful Southern California while they are freezing to death in Manhattan.

Happ you lived in Brooklyn? Thats cool I do not really visit Brooklyn though some of my close friends live there. I like Brooklyn but I did not know that it did not receive as much snow as Manhattan and the Bronx. I am from Manhattan so I never really go to other boughs as much. I have friends who live in all the different boroughs all are equally cold and I hate them all especially the Bronx. I really need to leave New York.

Like I said California will never be as cold as New York. If I could leave right now I would but I need to wait for a month to move get all my stuff together.