Do we underestimate and downplay how Great Sacramento weather really is? (Los Angeles: offering, boat)

[sacguy71]

@Elliot_CA, I lived in San Diego for quite a few years and really enjoyed it. I lived a mile from the beach and the cloudy mornings did not bother me. It was quite a bit cooler in summer than Sacramento. I also lived in the Santa Clara bay area and that weather was awesome, not as cloudy as San Diego and not as hot as Sacramento. But higher cost of living made it impossible for me to even buy a home even 10 years ago let alone today. I am thankful to have a home with pool here which helps me cool off and reduce need to use the air conditioner constantly.

[Chimérique]

Hey don't,
Thanks for the chart, one of the reasons for the whole thread is that when you compare high temps of Sacramento including "record temps" your doing Sacramento (and Fresno) a disservice because a snapshot like yours doesn't account for heat index. I know people will say so what's the difference between 110F and 115F, I get it, but when you compare that with most other cities heat indexes that are significantly more. It MATTTERS.

For example, San Antonios's 115F record would have a heat index of 125F or more. Sacramento's record of 115F would have an average index index of 110F. So that would change your list significantly.

So, almost all of those cities's heat indexes will be on average 5 to 15 degrees more. While a few cities will average 2 to 5 degrees less like Sacramento, Las Vegas, and Fresno. Phoenix's heat indexes averages out the same as recorded/standing temp in the early summer give a lower heat index reading, but during the monsoon season Phoenix's heat index average mores than recorded temps.

"Record" Highs accounting for Heat Index (short list):

1. San Antonio 130F
2. Dallas 128F
3. Austin 127F
4. Kansas City 125F
5. Oklahoma City 125F
6. St. Louis 125F
7. Houston 124F
8. Phoenix 122F
9. Portland 119F
10. Nashville 119F
11. Los Angeles 114F
12. Seattle 113F
13. Spokane 113F
14. San Diego 113F
15. Las Vegas 113F
16. Seattle 111F
17. Spokane 111F
18. Sacramento 110F

Heat waves, heat domes that are affecting cities surrounded by water, or near large bodies water often increase the heat index like Seattle currently.

But, again a pre-occupation with "record high temps" RARELY is a true representation of what a typical summer is like in said city.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by NewToCA

Hey Chim, with your extensive interest in Sacramento weather, have you kept track at all about how often we go above and below the high average temperatures?

I've been out here since mid 2006, and it seems to me that at least for the May through October periods of each year, we seem to exceed the "average" highs far more often, and to a greater degree, than we do being below the average highs.

Just wondering if you've got any data concerning those historical records for high daily temps.

Hey NewToCA,
I'll look into that and see what I can come up with.

Here's what I do know:
1. We still get significant and consistent cool downs, 30-40 degree diurnal differences between highs and lows which makes Sacramento Summer weather so unusual compared to most of the rest of the country.

2. No matter how many times we may exceed the average high temp, those highs are accompanied by lows in the upper 50's and 60's, again, much cooler than most other cities. We really do "take this for granted".

June (28 days), 2021

Average high 90F, Average low 58F

Low Temps:
15 days we were BELOW the average
4 days at average
8 days Above the average

High Temps:
11 days at or Below average
19 days Above average

[Chimérique]

June 1-28, 2021 - Sacramento
(28 days)

High Temps for the day
How many days of:

100's - Heat Index=3 days (+3 for recorded temp)
90's - 14 days
80's - 6 days
70's - 3 days

Low Temps for the day
How many days of:

Very Very Cool 40's - 2 days
Very Cool 50-55F - 7 days
Cool 56F-59F - 14 days
Cool 60-65F - 6 days
Comfortable - 66-68F - 2 days, all mornings were Cooler.

70's - Zero days, unlike much of the rest of the country in the Summer. Sacramento always Cools into the 50's and 60's throughout the summer.

[Chimérique]

Revised
June 1-30, 2021 - Sacramento
(All 30 days)

Low Temps for the day
How many days of:

40's - 2 days (very, very cool)
50-55F - 7 days (very cool)
56F-59F - 12 days (cool)
60-65F - 7 days (cool)
66-68F - 2 days, (cool)

70's - Zero days. All days were cooler. Sacramento always Cools into the 50's and 60's throughout the summer, unlike much of the rest of the country.

High Temps for the day
How many days of:

100's - 3 days (heat index) (+3 recorded/actual)
90's - 15 days
80's - 6 days
70's - 3 days

[sacguy71]

It has felt humid this week and even friends here who grew up in Sacramento have told me the same. I use my pool for cool off time now.

[Chimérique]

Average high 90F, Average High Heat Index 88F, Average low 58F

Sacramento - June 2021

Low Temps:
16 days we were BELOW the average
4 days at average
10 days Above the average

High Temps:
11 days at or Below average
19 days Above average

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by sacguy71

It has felt humid this week and even friends here who grew up in Sacramento have told me the same. I use my pool for cool off time now.

For the last 60 days or more Sacramento has been hovering around 55F DEW POINT

July 2, 2021, 3:30P

Sacramento Dew Point 55F - Pleasant

Dew Point Comfort Scale
Pleasant: less than 55F
Comfortable: 56-60F
Getting Sticky- 61-65F
Uncomfortable: 66-70F
Oppresive: 71-75F
Miserable:76F and higher

[Valley Boy]

The thing is, it usually didn't used to get this hot, this early. The heat we are seeing now used to be a "dog days of August" type of thing. And the wild fire smoke for weeks is new. Mother Earth is hurting.

[Chimérique]

Next time someone from the Bay Area or Phoenix, anywhere for that matters, tells you that Sacramento summers are no different than the desert, its not true, not even close. Sacramento much much Cooler than Phoenix and the entire Southwest.

June 2021 - High Temps Only, not including Low temps

How many days of 100F plus degrees?

High Temps for the Day:
Phoenix
70's - Zero days, All days hotter
80's - Zero days All days hotter
90's - All days hotter, except one
99F - 1 day
100F - 104F = 5 days
105F - 109F = 13 days
110F - 114F = 7 days
115F - 119F = 4 days
Phoenix
_________________________________

High Temps for the Day:
Sacramento
70's - 3 days
80's - 6 days
90F-94F = 11 days
95F-98F = 4 days
100F - 104F = 4 days
105F - 110F = 2 days
110F - 114F = Zero days, All days Cooler
115F - 119F = Zero days, All days Cooler
Sacramento