Torn between SF and SD. How often would you say there's decent surf in SF? (San Diego: stats, moving to)

[BayAreaHillbilly]

In the summer SoCal will pick of the hurricane swells especially on more south facing shorelines. In the winter NorCal wins hands down, crackin' big time double, triple, etc overhead.

[Woof]

Originally Posted by skyway31

You obviously haven't spent much time on the beach in SD. During spring and summer, there is a lot of overcast. It's not endless sunshine at the beach. In fact, it is more overcast than the eastern neighborhoods if San Francisco.

Also, in regards to air quality, SD has worse air quality than the beaches of LA county. It's because of wind patterns blowing LA's smog south, but it is what it is.

I didn't live at the beach, that's for rich people. By the time I got out to the beach it was not usually foggy.

San Diego doesn't have anywhere near the amount of air pollution that LA has - it doesn't even have as much as Bakersfield: Most Polluted Cities: State of the Air 2011 - American Lung Association

[sav858]

Originally Posted by skyway31

Basically, from May to September, both coasts are going to be overcast damn near every day. Dont be misled by the whole "but it's further south" thing. Both are overcast and very much NOT tropical. In terms of surf, check out surfline.com. Good reviews of different places in the travel section. IMO, a wetsuit is needed year round in both places, but SF is a no-brainer in that regard. of course, you'll have to consider more than just surfing at the end of the day. I've lived in both spots feel free to ask questions.

That simply is not true, the water temps in Southern Ca regularly hit the low 70's every summer. Many people and surfers go without wetsuits all summer. Have you never noticed the vast majority of people in summer don't have wetsuits on in Southern Ca? Also the cloud cover in Northern CA is far worse than anything in Southern CA during summer, much colder, windier, and more frequent.

Originally Posted by skyway31

Fog has burned off or been non-existant in North Beach much moreso than it ever was in 8 years in living within a mile of the beach in SoCal.

The weather anywhere in San Diego is better than anywhere in SF, even the "sunniest" warmest part of the city. Even when SD is overcast many times it's still warmer than SF as it's much less windy. And there is a big difference between the "marine layer" in both cities, in NorCal it's called fog and it's cold, windy, and low to the ground. In Coastal SoCal it tends to much higher, less wind, and milder. And nights during summer are much, much warmer than SF.

But the OP doesn't seem to care about temperature or weather, in that case I'd say he'd be fine in SF as far as surfing. SoCal has the culture and atmosphere but there are still plenty of good waves in Northern CA imo. If urban city living and public transit are important to the OP and weather and water temps don't matter much, then SF probably would be better overall I'd think.

[Radical347]

If you predominantly care about surfing, then SD hands down. Beaches in SF (and Pacifica and Santa Cruz, for that matter) are a joke compared to beaches in SD.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by Radical347

If you predominantly care about surfing, then SD hands down. Beaches in SF (and Pacifica and Santa Cruz, for that matter) are a joke compared to beaches in SD.

Norcal's beaches are beautiful, but they are better for bonfires or strolls with a warm jacket.

[Larry Siegel]

Originally Posted by giney12

they are both part of anti-gun, big bro liberal enslavement mentality, overrun by illegal aliens, and San Diego, at least, choking on pollution.

You're not reflecting well on us sensible, moderate conservatives. Please chill

[skyway31]

Originally Posted by Woof

I didn't live at the beach, that's for rich people. By the time I got out to the beach it was not usually foggy.

San Diego doesn't have anywhere near the amount of air pollution that LA has - it doesn't even have as much as Bakersfield: Most Polluted Cities: State of the Air 2011 - American Lung Association

Sigh.
Admittedly, not all of us are analytical. So, I'll preface my comments with that.

You didn't live at the beach. That explains it all. I never said all of SD county was overcast a lot. I said the beach was. Within a mile or so of the beach. If all you did was make the occassional afternoon visit, you could have missed the fog some. Actually living at the beach yields a different experience than an inlander heading out occassionally.

In terms of air quality, like I said, we can't all be analytical I suppose. I said coastal L.A. county has cleaner air than SD county. That is FACT. What you provided was stats for the ENTIRE L.A. metro area. Not the same thing.

I confess to being shocked by what I said when I first found out about it. I called the Southern California Air Quality Managment district and said "Hey, I see where SD has worse air quality than the coastal parts of L.A. county. This can't possibly be true, can it?" The person told me that, indeed, I hadn't misread things. They mentoned wind patterns and how basically the pollution of L.A. county still makes its way down to SD. Sure, Riverside and the inland parts of L.A. metro have worse air quality. But, Hermosa Beach in L.A. county will consistently have slightly cleaner air than, say, Pacific Beach in SD. Not a huge difference, but certainly enough to debunk a lot of myths.

[skyway31]

Originally Posted by sav858

That simply is not true, the water temps in Southern Ca regularly hit the low 70's every summer. Many people and surfers go without wetsuits all summer. Have you never noticed the vast majority of people in summer don't have wetsuits on in Southern Ca? Also the cloud cover in Northern CA is far worse than anything in Southern CA during summer, much colder, windier, and more frequent.
The weather anywhere in San Diego is better than anywhere in SF, even the "sunniest" warmest part of the city. Even when SD is overcast many times it's still warmer than SF as it's much less windy. And there is a big difference between the "marine layer" in both cities, in NorCal it's called fog and it's cold, windy, and low to the ground. In Coastal SoCal it tends to much higher, less wind, and milder. And nights during summer are much, much warmer than SF.

But the OP doesn't seem to care about temperature or weather, in that case I'd say he'd be fine in SF as far as surfing. SoCal has the culture and atmosphere but there are still plenty of good waves in Northern CA imo. If urban city living and public transit are important to the OP and weather and water temps don't matter much, then SF probably would be better overall I'd think.

I didn't keep track of water temps. I can tell you that, for me, it was always cold enough that I wanted a wetsuit. I swam some without it-like in late summer-and it was still uncomfortable for me.

Weather being "better" is a subjective matter. Objectively, the eastern parts of SF absolutely have been sunnier than the coastal areas (1 mile from beach) in L.A. or SD counties where I have lived. It is chillier and windier in those parts of SF, but, I'd prefer that over a bit warmer but more overcast. And the coastal stratus being lower when it rolls in to SF is no biggie. It's actually kind of entertaining to watch in SF, whereas it's just blah in SoCal.

I mention all of this because I've got to believe the OP is going to consider more than just surfing alone when picking a place. Sure, it's a bit more comfortable at the beach in SD than in SF.But, the differences in climate are not nearly as different as many outisders likely assume. Given that, and the huge differences in other aspects of life in SF and SD, and the choice may be different depending on OP preferences.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by skyway31

Point being, if one moves to SD and expects sunny, balmy conditions at the beach they will be disappointed.

Fog has burned off or been non-existant in North Beach much moreso than it ever was in 8 years in living within a mile of the beach in SoCal.

Exactly, there are days, especially the last two summers when the beaches haven't cleared at all, sometimes for several days straight.

[Gentoo]

Originally Posted by skyway31

Sigh.
Admittedly, not all of us are analytical. So, I'll preface my comments with that.

You didn't live at the beach. That explains it all. I never said all of SD county was overcast a lot. I said the beach was. Within a mile or so of the beach. If all you did was make the occassional afternoon visit, you could have missed the fog some. Actually living at the beach yields a different experience than an inlander heading out occassionally.

In terms of air quality, like I said, we can't all be analytical I suppose. I said coastal L.A. county has cleaner air than SD county. That is FACT. What you provided was stats for the ENTIRE L.A. metro area. Not the same thing.

I confess to being shocked by what I said when I first found out about it. I called the Southern California Air Quality Managment district and said "Hey, I see where SD has worse air quality than the coastal parts of L.A. county. This can't possibly be true, can it?" The person told me that, indeed, I hadn't misread things. They mentoned wind patterns and how basically the pollution of L.A. county still makes its way down to SD. Sure, Riverside and the inland parts of L.A. metro have worse air quality. But, Hermosa Beach in L.A. county will consistently have slightly cleaner air than, say, Pacific Beach in SD. Not a huge difference, but certainly enough to debunk a lot of myths.

My God why do people keep saying this??? If this is true then why is it clear in between? Once you pass Irvine coming south the air clears up a lot and remains that way until about Del Mar or so. SD generates it's own pollution so blaming it all on LA is getting tired.