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Are you looking for a high or low desert climate? There's a considerable difference between the two, especially when talking about winter temperatures!
The Modoc Plateau (Northeastern California) is considered to be an extension of the Great Basin, and has a dry climate and is considerably warm in the summer, but is extremely cold (not by only California standards, but by almost anyone's) during the winter. Alturas, CA (as Highnlite suggested) is the biggest "town" in the area. Here is the climate information: ALTURAS RANGER STATION, CALIFORNIA - Climate Summary
Alturas, CA
Jan: 41.6/16.5
Jul: 88.2/44.3
Precipitation: 12.38/year (30.3 inches of snow)
However, keep in mind that the largest "city" of over 100,000 is Reno, NV which is around 180 SE of Alturas. Depending on how isolated you want to be, that may be a good thing.
If you're not interested in living in suburbia, then Fontana, Riverside, and Mira Loma are out because for all intents and purposes, they are apart of the Greater Los Angeles region (sorry IE residents). In addition, those parts of the Inland Empire aren't desert since they all get more than 10 inches of rain/year.
Red Bluff is in the northern Sacramento Valley (very Northern California), and DEFINITELY isn't desert. Despite the fact that it does get extremely hot in the summer, it also rains a lot more than the average desert would in the winter (gets around 23 inches of rain/year). (Source: RED BLUFF FSS, CALIFORNIA - Climate Summary). There's access to a lot of nearby lakes and mountain scenery and a lot of farmland in the general area.
Porterville, same deal, except it gets considerably less rain and has a lot more small towns nearby. I haven't personally been there myself, so don't take my word for it.
May I ask, have you been to California before? While 3 of these places are close to each other (Mira Loma, Riverside, Fontana) with another one not too far away (Apple Valley), the other two are in really different areas of the state (Porterville is in Central California, and Red Bluff is way up there in Northern California). Come visit to get a better feel for these places.
And thank you for wanting to experience the Great California outdoors! Even a lot of California residents forget that it exists (as if the whole state is a gigantic suburb of LA and SF)
If you're not interested in living in suburbia, then Fontana, Riverside, and Mira Loma are out because for all intents and purposes, they are apart of the Greater Los Angeles region (sorry IE residents).
Fine by me. Like Randy Newman said... "I love L.A."
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lifeshadower
In addition, those parts of the Inland Empire aren't desert since they all get more than 10 inches of rain/year.
It's so refreshing to see someone who actually understands the biomes and climate.
Are you looking for a high or low desert climate? There's a considerable difference between the two, especially when talking about winter temperatures!
The Modoc Plateau (Northeastern California) is considered to be an extension of the Great Basin, and has a dry climate and is considerably warm in the summer, but is extremely cold (not by only California standards, but by almost anyone's) during the winter. Alturas, CA (as Highnlite suggested) is the biggest "town" in the area. Here is the climate information: ALTURAS RANGER STATION, CALIFORNIA - Climate Summary
Alturas, CA
Jan: 41.6/16.5
Jul: 88.2/44.3
Precipitation: 12.38/year (30.3 inches of snow)
However, keep in mind that the largest "city" of over 100,000 is Reno, NV which is around 180 SE of Alturas. Depending on how isolated you want to be, that may be a good thing.
If you're not interested in living in suburbia, then Fontana, Riverside, and Mira Loma are out because for all intents and purposes, they are apart of the Greater Los Angeles region (sorry IE residents). In addition, those parts of the Inland Empire aren't desert since they all get more than 10 inches of rain/year.
Red Bluff is in the northern Sacramento Valley (very Northern California), and DEFINITELY isn't desert. Despite the fact that it does get extremely hot in the summer, it also rains a lot more than the average desert would in the winter (gets around 23 inches of rain/year). (Source: RED BLUFF FSS, CALIFORNIA - Climate Summary). There's access to a lot of nearby lakes and mountain scenery and a lot of farmland in the general area.
Porterville, same deal, except it gets considerably less rain and has a lot more small towns nearby. I haven't personally been there myself, so don't take my word for it.
May I ask, have you been to California before? While 3 of these places are close to each other (Mira Loma, Riverside, Fontana) with another one not too far away (Apple Valley), the other two are in really different areas of the state (Porterville is in Central California, and Red Bluff is way up there in Northern California). Come visit to get a better feel for these places.
And thank you for wanting to experience the Great California outdoors! Even a lot of California residents forget that it exists (as if the whole state is a gigantic suburb of LA and SF)
Always appreciate your informative posts!
You are exactly right about Red Bluff since it is in the northern Sacramento valley, gets plenty of winter rainfall and is in no way a desert. All of the Central Valley is hot [90-100F] during summer with the extreme ends north and south of the Sacramento delta the hottest [Redding and Bakersfield can be infernos]. I like Red Bluff, Chico and Redding but some of the very small valley towns are extremely boring.
Porterville is very nice also because it has lots of citrus groves and like Red Bluff is heavily agriculture but the San Joaquin valley has a smog problem due to the pollution generated in the Bay Area that blows into the valley and becomes trapped. Both Porterville and Red Bluff are close to the Sierra and have abundant recreational opportunities. Winters can be very foggy and cold by California standards.
I really don't know anything about Mira Loma but I've always liked Riverside; classy city but increasingly overcrowded and smoggy during summer. Fontana has probably the largest speedway for car races in California and like Riverside is much larger than Red Bluff or Porterville.
Apple Valley is strictly high desert [almost 3000 feet] so if the OP wants that type of climate be prepared for very hot summer days and cold winter nights. I don't think apples are even grown in Apple Valley but I could be wrong. It's not too far from Victorville but is the most remote town of all the cities listed. And least desirable in my opinion.
I've never been to Porterville, so I can't comment on it. I imagine it's like other Central Valley towns (Visalia, Tulare?).
I wouldn't throw out Bakersfield based on opinions. Go make one yourself (IMO it isn't all that different from Riverside when comparing city vs. city).
I like Red Bluff, but IMO Apple Valley fits your wants best. Mira Loma, Riverside, and Fontana are within miles of each other, and are very suburban and urban.
Are you looking for a high or low desert climate? There's a considerable difference between the two, especially when talking about winter temperatures!
The Modoc Plateau (Northeastern California) is considered to be an extension of the Great Basin, and has a dry climate and is considerably warm in the summer, but is extremely cold (not by only California standards, but by almost anyone's) during the winter. Alturas, CA (as Highnlite suggested) is the biggest "town" in the area. Here is the climate information: ALTURAS RANGER STATION, CALIFORNIA - Climate Summary
Alturas, CA
Jan: 41.6/16.5
Jul: 88.2/44.3
Precipitation: 12.38/year (30.3 inches of snow)
However, keep in mind that the largest "city" of over 100,000 is Reno, NV which is around 180 SE of Alturas. Depending on how isolated you want to be, that may be a good thing.
If you're not interested in living in suburbia, then Fontana, Riverside, and Mira Loma are out because for all intents and purposes, they are apart of the Greater Los Angeles region (sorry IE residents). In addition, those parts of the Inland Empire aren't desert since they all get more than 10 inches of rain/year.
Red Bluff is in the northern Sacramento Valley (very Northern California), and DEFINITELY isn't desert. Despite the fact that it does get extremely hot in the summer, it also rains a lot more than the average desert would in the winter (gets around 23 inches of rain/year). (Source: RED BLUFF FSS, CALIFORNIA - Climate Summary). There's access to a lot of nearby lakes and mountain scenery and a lot of farmland in the general area.
Porterville, same deal, except it gets considerably less rain and has a lot more small towns nearby. I haven't personally been there myself, so don't take my word for it.
May I ask, have you been to California before? While 3 of these places are close to each other (Mira Loma, Riverside, Fontana) with another one not too far away (Apple Valley), the other two are in really different areas of the state (Porterville is in Central California, and Red Bluff is way up there in Northern California). Come visit to get a better feel for these places.
And thank you for wanting to experience the Great California outdoors! Even a lot of California residents forget that it exists (as if the whole state is a gigantic suburb of LA and SF)
I was born in CA and have since visited off and on for weeks at a time to Oakloand, L.A., San Diego, and San Francisco..I have a lot of family out there that I'm not terribly close with but I keep daily facebook contact with haha..I have a lot of family in Vegas, including my mother and father, though and I'd love to live within a days drive of them, but I can't see myself living around Vegas...CA has all of my geological preferences combined with ideal weather, and that's my main reason for choosing CA, but combined with all of the afore mentioned benefits, it becomes pretty much my only option, in my opinion. Another benefit is being closer to Montana...although not terribly close to my particular area of interest, living in CA would make a drive to see my Grandparents in Montana much more reasonable.
My list of locations are based on my husbands job...there are branches of his company near/in each of those locations. Recently our options increased from Tulare co. and Kern County to the ones I've mentioned minus a few I've already eliminated with common sense and my personal preferences.
I intend to get a better feel for each of the locations personally, but only after I've moved. I was hoping to get a better idea about the areas than what wiki and google can do for me so I could eliminate some areas before moving. Ultimately I will make a decision based on my own criteria, but for now, I need a starting point...
Thanks, by the way, your post was awesome.
Also, when I mentioned suburbia I meant to add the word "cookie-cutter" in there...I don't mind some types of suburban neighborhoods, I just wouldn't be able to personally stay sane in a cul de sac of cookie-cutter houses. I'd rather some...flavor, if you will, even if that means accepting some "roughness". But not too rough, I have an 8 year old, a 4 year old and a 3 month old...and a husband who's never been out of the state of Ohio until our trip to FL earlier this year. haha
I've never been to Porterville, so I can't comment on it. I imagine it's like other Central Valley towns (Visalia, Tulare?).
I wouldn't throw out Bakersfield based on opinions. Go make one yourself (IMO it isn't all that different from Riverside when comparing city vs. city).
I like Red Bluff, but IMO Apple Valley fits your wants best. Mira Loma, Riverside, and Fontana are within miles of each other, and are very suburban and urban.
If you are able to, go visit each area.
Thank you
I plan to visit each area but I don't think it's going to be possible before the move...what with my infant and school age children. I still plan to, after the initial move, visit other areas including Bakersfield to expand my options. Considering I probably have a different opinion than others because I wasn't actually raised in the area, I might be able to see something in a completely different light. What some consider classy and nice I might consider boring and tasteless, I'm not into money as a lifestyle, either.
I just hope that I don't have to search for very long and waste money on renting for longer than 6 months after the initial move.
Porterville is very nice also because it has lots of citrus groves and like Red Bluff is heavily agriculture but the San Joaquin valley has a smog problem due to the pollution generated in the Bay Area that blows into the valley and becomes trapped. Both Porterville and Red Bluff are close to the Sierra and have abundant recreational opportunities. Winters can be very foggy and cold by California standards.
Aside from the pollution issue, Porterville and surrounding still sounds really great. Though I'd love to live close to the ocean, the mountains hold just as much sway, and I don't want to live in a ridiculously over-populated and expensive area. Plus a couple hour drive to visit the ocean once or twice a month is completely alright with me...hell, I drive further than that right now just to buy some particular groceries.
My suggestion would be to visit the area before moving, basing a opinion from here would be a big mistake in my opinion, people tend to be territorial on here.
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