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I've noticed San Jose (on this forum and elsewhere) described as one of the better climates of the Bay Area, if not the country. While I think San Jose has a decent climate, it's definitely not my favorite of the Bay Area. My favorite would be San Rafael, which has similar, though slightly cooler, temperatures but about twice the precipitation. Who else here prefers San Rafael?
San Rafael has only 68 precipitation days even though its precipitation total isn't low. It's also the home of George Lucas and was the home of Jerry Garcia.
San Jose is where Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple) is from
I added a third choice: I hate both climates. Since these are both rather similar, this gives those who detest these climates a way to opt out. For those that don't hate these climates, it will be a good way to see who prefers wet over dry climates.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Summer nights are too cool for me. I imagine you'd have to don a jacket to go out at night any time of year to feel comfortable. I like not having to worry about layers in summer. Neither climate is terrible but I can't really see a reason to choose one over the other.
I like San Rafael's greater rainfall overall for the landscape potential, but the Bay area's microclimates mean there isn't much difference in scenery as San Jose is a dry spot surrounded by lusher hills. If San Rafael gets more breeze I'll choose it, as San Jose can get a little smoggy.
Still, despite the fact that it's not my favorite climate, I'd still live in SF if I lived in the Bay area, as that's where 90% of the urban interest lies. Moving to greater San Francisco and then living in the 'burbs for the weather is a little like moving to Vancouver and living in Abbotsford or Chilliwack for the warmer summers. It defeats the purpose, in my opinion, when there are more affordable, more climatically charming places elsewhere.
San Rafael just barely and only because it's likely more lush
12-06-2011, 07:06 AM
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I picked San Rafael.
I like sunny weather while also liking cloudy/rainy weather plenty of times.
San Jose is too dry for me annually and I find San Jose weather overrated. San Jose weather is decent but definitely not the best in the USA and not even the best in the Bay area.
I also like San Rafael’s precipitation pattern with the cloudier/wetter autumn/winter/spring and the very sunny/dry summer. I assume San Rafael might get more breezy/windy days and foggy days which can be enjoyable weather to me plenty of times as well.
San Rafael may not get as much annual sunshine as San Jose but I don’t think it is that much less. If San Jose has 3,400 annual sunshine hours (nearby Sacramento has 3,600 so that is my guess for San Jose) then San Rafael probably has 3,000 annual sunshine hours, which is still a great annual sunshine total.
Also, San Rafael has much better air/water quality and much lower wildfire risk because of the higher precipitation. San Rafael also has more lush scenery.
So far, San Rafael is winning most of the votes so far!
I thought this would be a closer race. I could still see why someone would pick San Jose over San Rafael for the warmer summers, warmer winters, and more sunshine.
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