Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy!! (San Diego, August: appointed, school)

[Vegas28]

I've heard all about the May gray and June gloom, but I've been living here since December and I'm starting to get really depressed with all this gray weather. So much for the television commercial with the jingle about "built for the San Diego sunshine". I realize I'm not in Vegas anymore, but this feels like the midwest right now. Do people over exaggerate how nice the weather is here? It's COLD!! Well at least compared to Vegas and Phoenix right now who are enjoying lots of sun and warmth. I realize there are "off" years with weather patterns and am hoping this is the tail end of one of those years, but just give it to me straight. What percentage of the time is the sun out around here? I don't care so much about it being higher temps but seeing blue skies would be niceL!!!

[NYSD1995]

If you live near the coast, it's cloudy. That's why I don't live near the coast.

[cruitr]

Depends on your exact location in the San Diego area. The coastal area is cloudy more often than the inland areas. Inland is sunnier with 10-15 degree higher temps.

[UrbanDecay]

Less than 50%.

[loveautumn]

I hope that others who are contemplating moving here will read your post...because alot of folks think SD is like Florida, sunny & warm/hot most of the time, more of a tropical climate, which it isn't. Granted, it is way better here than most of the country since we don't get those zero temps and snow/blizzards. But I think people have a misconception about the weather here. As others have pointed out, it does get warmer and sunnier the more inland you go. Last year, coastal, we had a very short summer, I think it was August until it really got warm every day. The very best months are Aug/Sept/Oct, which are just about the same as the best months anywhere else in the country. But our humidity is practically non-existent (and no bugs)...that what makes it so great.

Nevada and Phoenix don't have the ocean climate like we do, which can create alot of variables. In the 30+ years I've lived here the weather has changed dramatically...gotten alot colder and overcast. I think the way it is now is the way it's going to be for a while, unless we go into another drought period.

[Clevelandgal]

I am glad it is not FL-way to hot and humid. I lived there for 12 years and cannot imagine going back. The grey days bums me out some, but they never last long and do not compare to the midwest where I recall whole months where there was no sun. Climate likes and dislikes are subjective, but I feel this is the best in US. that said, I love the cool (upper 50's low 60's), sunny days-and I agree anyone who thinks it is warm and sunny all the time will be disappointed.

[odannyboi]

That sucks!!!

Whats the point of charging a sunshine tax if there isn't that much sun? Even if there is more sun when you go inland, why would people want to go to the beach if it is gloomy?

This thread is a bummer... I am getting down to the wire to decide which school offer I should take (including 2 in SD) and a major reason I'm leaving the Midwest is because I hate overcast.

Overcast can make everything look bad (I even disliked santa barbara because I visited when it was mostly cloudy).

Its looking more and more like I'm headed to Tucson...

[moved]

I lived in Tucson for 1 1/2 years, and there's lots of sunshine. But it gets much warmer than San Diego, and in March it can be in the 90's.

[T. Damon]

Oh Boy, the few days of cool, cloudy and even rainy weather during this winter have been nearly unbearable- WHAT!? Yeah, those puffy clouds and deliciously cool weather make me depressed too.

It's winter, have you noticed how it kind of looks like Ireland around here because of the nice rains we've had? The desert blooms will be glorious this spring, the warmer weather will be back in a few days, the hills will dry and become yellow and then, yes, we will have some wonderfully cool and overcast summer days yet ahead. I think the weather has been just about perfect this year- finally a bit of rain and clouds- I love it!

Chriminey- you can have easy-bake oven Arizona or perpetually dank and drippy Florida or the mid-west for five months of the year- I'll take mine mild thank you very much.

[sdurbanite]

Coming from Vegas, it must be a shock to have so many cloudy days. You happened to move here during our rainy season and in the short time you've been here, we've received almost twice as much rain as Vegas gets in a entire year. As we all know, you need clouds in order for it to rain.

When you start hearing the terms "Catalina Eddy" or "Coastal Eddy", that's when you know the marine layer phenomenon has arrived. It's not here yet, but just wait a few more weeks and you'll hear some of us (me) crying about it here.