Sacramento vs. Phoenix (Fresno, Riverside, Bakersfield: area, cities, population)

[roadwarrior101]

Originally Posted by Majin

I almost don't even want to reply to most of these post as I think the majority of people who post don't actually live here. Describing Sacramento winters as cold and rainy? LOL. Compared to what?

Compared to Phoenix. Phoenix is 80 and sunny a significant part of the winter. I lived there a couple years for grad school and absolutely loved the winter weather. Sure, the summers are rough but the winters make up for it. Not saying Sacramento has harsh winters, but Phoenix's are nicer.

[OUgrad09]

One of the main reasons we're thinking about Sacramento (and not really considering Phoenix) is the ability to escape the few oppressively hot days by taking a day trip into the mountains/higher elevation or down into the Bay Area.

[mxcolin]

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

Compared to Phoenix. Phoenix is 80 and sunny a significant part of the winter. I lived there a couple years for grad school and absolutely loved the winter weather. Sure, the summers are rough but the winters make up for it. Not saying Sacramento has harsh winters, but Phoenix's are nicer.

Phoenx:

November Avg High Temp: 75F
December Avg High Temp: 66F
January Avg High Temp: 67F
February Avg High Temp: 70F

I mean it's nice but it's not 80!!!

[roadwarrior101]

Originally Posted by mxcolin

Phoenx:

November Avg High Temp: 75F
December Avg High Temp: 66F
January Avg High Temp: 67F
February Avg High Temp: 70F

I mean it's nice but it's not 80!!!

Those are average temperatures, but there are plenty of days in the 80s there throughout.

[mxcolin]

Those are average HIGH temperatures. You are right though, Phoenix is great in the Winter. It has better weather than Sacramento at least 3-4 months of the year. That isn't bad, 99% of cities in the US barely have 1 month with better weather than Sac.

[Chimérique]

Overall, year round, Sacramento's weather is much nicer than Phoenix. Even in the fall and winter, Sacramento's weather is nicer than Phoenix. Sacramento has autumn colors and an autumn leaves.

In the west, we always complain about too much sun and too much heat; Sacramento's fall and winter definitely mitigate for that. Sacramento has a real fall compared to Phoenix and a real winter compared to Phoenix.

During a normal-average fall and winter I love the Sacramento rain; its nourishing and cleanses the landscape for a solid the 3 to 4 months. It's the reason why you can grow a real coast Redwood tree near your lemon tree in your Sacramento backyard and the Redwood grows to 100+ feet and lives for 100 years. (in Redwood country, those coast Redwoods grow to 250-350 feet and live 800-1,000 years) Of course, you can grow a giant Sequoia in your Sacramento backyard as well.

[roadwarrior101]

Originally Posted by Chimérique

Overall, year round, Sacramento's weather is much nicer than Phoenix. Even in the fall and winter, Sacramento's weather is nicer than Phoenix.

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with your assertion. Its certainly not a harsh winter in Sac and the rainfall is welcomed. However, there's a reason why spring training is in AZ and FL (and not in NorCal) and why snowbirds from Canada and the Upper Midwest flock to those locations. They have just about the best weather in the US for 6 months of the year, but I do agree that Sacramento's summertime (along with late spring and early fall) is much more tolerable than Phoenix's.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by roadwarrior101

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with your assertion. Its certainly not a harsh winter in Sac and the rainfall is welcomed. However, there's a reason why spring training is in AZ and FL (and not in NorCal) and why snowbirds from Canada and the Upper Midwest flock to those locations. They have just about the best weather in the US for 6 months of the year, but I do agree that Sacramento's summertime (along with late spring and early fall) is much more tolerable than Phoenix's.

You are right. Sacramento winters are mild, very mild, some say we don't really even have a winter. Sacramento winters are marginally colder than Phoenix, but a lot wetter, on average, which is a happy welcome. Sacramento doesn't need to suck water away from other states or parts of the country, if fact, we transport it to the rest of the state for their use.

I must say, I do understand why seniors prefer rainless, dry climates, all year round, but I know I would still hate it if Sacramento consistently had dry winters, or became a desert climate like Phoenix.

Years back, I think it was the 49ers and a few others teams that would do their spring training in the Sacramento area. They moved not so much for the weather, but because all the other teams and the "infrastructure" for spring training was headquartered to AZ.

[mxcolin]

I don't think being wetter than a desert really qualifies it as wet though. There are far wetter places. We've had 21 days in December so far and it's rained maybe 3 times? Like I said winters here are mild, sunny, and mostly dry compared to almost anywhere else.

[Chimérique]

Originally Posted by mxcolin

I don't think being wetter than a desert really qualifies it as wet though. There are far wetter places. We've had 21 days in December so far and it's rained maybe 3 times? Like I said winters here are mild, sunny, and mostly dry compared to almost anywhere else.

Yes, its been a very, very dry Nov and Dec so far, not good.