Weather in Southern California: not paradise (San Diego, San Francisco: homes, landscaping, to live in)

[Charles]

Originally Posted by jackie100

I live in Huntington Beach and it is FREEZING COLD right now and it has been from DEC till now. I can't leave my house without wearing a long trench coat and gloves and I always have to turn the heater on.

I don't know why people think So Cal is always warm. For example, it's 49F right now (it's 6am) but still, that's pretty darn cold. I haven't been able to wear a skirt or tank top all winter and when I do it feels like I'm going to die. It does get cold here during the winter. Perhaps not as cold as Iceland but still.... I have to wear a thick coat at all times!!

Forecast is 62F today and "sunny" but that's still kinda cold to me. I still have to wear a jacket

It's 49F in Huntington Beach right now, at 630 in the morning. That's warmer than 80% of the country will be today for a high temp:

[AFH]

Originally Posted by jackie100

I don't know why people think So Cal is always warm. For example, it's 49F right now (it's 6am) but still, that's pretty darn cold. I haven't been able to wear a skirt or tank top all winter and when I do it feels like I'm going to die. It does get cold here during the winter. Perhaps not as cold as Iceland but still.... I have to wear a thick coat at all times!!

49F? Hey, I remember the upper forties! It was that warm here in southern Minnesota... back in November. Hasn't been since, though.

When it's 49F, I'm still wearing shorts - I don't switch to pants until it dips below 45F. Sounds great to me.

If 49F in the early morning is your definitely of a "FREEZING" mid-winter cold snap, then you're living in warm climes.

[jackie100]

At 49F I wear a long trench coat made out of wool and I have to run to my car to turn up the heater. I can't stand to walk outdoors around like this. Around 42F and below I need gloves and a mitten.

I have been wearing a long heavy coat every day since around November. And mostly boots too.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by jackie100

At 49F I wear a long trench coat made out of wool and I have to run to my car to turn up the heater. I can't stand to walk outdoors around like this. Around 42F and below I need gloves and a mitten.

I have been wearing a long heavy coat every day since around November. And mostly boots too.

Amusing. It warmed up to 28 here today, so I did not bother to wear a coat. My suit jacket is warm enoguh to get me from house to car and car to office. (although I did let my car warm up for 15 minutes before I left).

[jackie100]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

Amusing. It warmed up to 28 here today, so I did not bother to wear a coat. My suit jacket is warm enoguh to get me from house to car and car to office. (although I did let my car warm up for 15 minutes before I left).

I'm not trying to be amusing. I'm actually serious. I just hate cold weather. I guess it's subjective to what you're used to. Most people in Alaska probably wouldn't find the So Cal winters cold but to ME it's cold and I don't like it. I would prefer it a bit warmer. I think this is probably because I'm getting older (in my 30's now) so I'm weaker. When I was in my 20's I don't remember it being so cold. I actually never wore a jacket either when I was younger during the winter here in Socal. It's probably age. I'm not even THAT old, only 31 but I can feel it more now.

[Coldjensens]

I always hated cold weather. Despised it. Laid on top of heaters all morning etc. Being cold was the same as pain to me. THen I moved to OC for 18 years and now back to MI (most of the time). I found that I no longer hate the cold, I actually enjoy it. I think maybe becuase I am older and heavier (better insulated). Maybe I just got more tolerant.

[Trade Wind]

Originally Posted by CAtoTX09

Well as 2 people who love warmth and sun, we were very disappointed. We lived on the coast and the weather is chilly pretty much year-round. We moved from Arizona and loved the year-round warm sunshine but not the crazy hot summers. Well the SoCal coast gives you chilly damp weather all year with depressing gray fog for half the year. For a few months in summer the days are warm, bordering on hot, but even then it's too chilly at night to be outside and enjoy it without a patio heater.

Anyway, enough of my rant, my point is that SoCal is fine if you REALLY can't stand heat, but if you like a real summer and enjoy year-round warmth, it probably isn't for you. (At least not on the coast- just go a few miles inland and it's hot.)

You sound much like us: This was(is) our problem also.

As an older beach/sun person, it seems to me the summers and winters are just too windy and cool near the ocean in coastal CA. Having been on the East Coast the past few summers (I’m semi-retired)…I forget what real summer is like on the beach; I went to Virginia Beach, VA and Long Island, NY in June - and it’s like 85 F, sunny, clear, the water currents are warm. I went to North Myrtle Beach, SC last fall - the warmth of the Atlantic is amazing - 81 F in October. Once you get used to the warm ocean waters on the East Coast…it’s tough to step foot back in the freezing Pacific lol.

For me, a lover of heat/beaches/the coast… the worst thing I could have ever done was go to Florida (lol). Florida spoils you for heat. My favorite place in the USA will always be Key West (although Miami is full of heat and energy). There is nothing like leaving coastal California in a wet/cool El Nino year..and landing in hot, sunny Florida. My greatest memory will always be the first time I saw the Overseas Highway from Miami to the Florida Keys. You felt like you were leaving the United States and were driving right to the Caribbean. If you love heat/summer/the sun…you should see it at least once in your life. It's hard to picture life in the Florida Keys looks like this in the middle of winter:





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[Charles]

Must be the engineer in me, but the first thing I noticed about that nice photo above is the disjointed bridge. Out of curiosity, where is that?

[Jonah1979]

Originally Posted by Trade Wind

You sound much like us: This was(is) our problem also.

As an older beach/sun person, it seems to me the summers and winters are just too windy and cool near the ocean in coastal CA. Having been on the East Coast the past few summers (I’m semi-retired)…I forget what real summer is like on the beach; I went to Virginia Beach, VA and Long Island, NY in June - and it’s like 85 F, sunny, clear, the water currents are warm. I went to North Myrtle Beach, SC last fall - the warmth of the Atlantic is amazing - 81 F in October. Once you get used to the warm ocean waters on the East Coast…it’s tough to step foot back in the freezing Pacific lol.

For me, a lover of heat/beaches/the coast… the worst thing I could have ever done was go to Florida (lol). Florida spoils you for heat. My favorite place in the USA will always be Key West (although Miami is full of heat and energy). There is nothing like leaving coastal California in a wet/cool El Nino year..and landing in hot, sunny Florida. My greatest memory will always be the first time I saw the Overseas Highway from Miami to the Florida Keys. You felt like you were leaving the United States and were driving right to the Caribbean. If you love heat/summer/the sun…you should see it at least once in your life. It's hard to picture life in the Florida Keys looks like this in the middle of winter:





.

Amen!

[Fontucky]

Originally Posted by Charles

Must be the engineer in me, but the first thing I noticed about that nice photo above is the disjointed bridge. Out of curiosity, where is that?

Reminds me of the Bay Bridge after an earthquake.