The Northern Coast of California has, in my opinion, ideal climate and culture

[Steve97415]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

The only people I've ever heard complain about the cold winters are SoCal transplants. People, it's called NORTHERN California for a reason! It's northern, so it's colder in the winter. If you don't like it, stay in SoCal, or move to Arizona.

Actually, many more people along the northern coast complain about the "summer" weather than the winter. In fact, there isn't that much difference in temperatures between "summer" and winter; it's a seasonless climate. The incidence of rain and the length of day is the main difference between January and July there.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Steve97415

Actually, many more people along the northern coast complain about the "summer" weather than the winter. In fact, there isn't that much difference in temperatures between "summer" and winter; it's a seasonless climate. The incidence of rain and the length of day is the main difference between January and July there.

Not true. Winter temps during the day can get down to the low 40's. Sometimes it snows. I'm not sure how narrowly you're defining "coastal" exactly, but just a couple of winters ago, there was snow on the ground in the Bay Area. If the climate were seasonless, all the SoCal transplants wouldn't be complaining most winters.

[BeauCharles]

The Monterey Peninsula. You get the cool climate and regular marine layer without the excessive rain, pot culture and feeling like you're on the backside of nowhere. Only big downside is that its more expensive than the North Coast.

[OwlKaMyst]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Not true. Winter temps during the day can get down to the low 40's. Sometimes it snows. I'm not sure how narrowly you're defining "coastal" exactly, but just a couple of winters ago, there was snow on the ground in the Bay Area. If the climate were seasonless, all the SoCal transplants wouldn't be complaining most winters.

The OP is talking about the Eureka Arcata area. I lived there for over three years. The only difference between winter and summer was the rain, not the temps. I lived year-round in my sweatshirt, never needed anything more and I very much dislike the cold. Snow on the coast happens but only once in a great while. In my 20 plus years of living in the area, snow has hit the coast 3 times. (I also grew up in the bay area and it snowed once but did not stick) For it to stick in Eureaka is even more rare. Now go on a 22 mile drive east up into Kneeland or go south to Myers Flat and beyond and you have snow, but that's at a higher elevation and more inland.

[Ruth4Truth]

Could be that the cloud cover prevents the colder temps the clear-sky Bay Area gets in winter. And yes, the snow is usually once every 5 years, or so. But is pretty exciting when it happens. My cousin got a beautiful photo of Mt. Diablo in WC, covered in snow a couple of winters ago.

[TrueTimbers]

Originally Posted by BeauCharles

The Monterey Peninsula. You get the cool climate and regular marine layer without the excessive rain, pot culture and feeling like you're on the backside of nowhere. Only big downside is that its more expensive than the North Coast.

It is that "back side of nowhere", that makes for a tight community.
Something difficult for people from more urban upbringings to understand.
People are special on the north coast. Don't get the same class of "community minded" folks down in Monterey.

Monterey, Just another place I see the classic coastal sharp divide between wealthy and poor. Most folks just chasing the dollar to show off what they can buy, looking down their noses at those lower class then themselves.

Tough conditions and isolation build personal character.... Independent thinking, personal action, resolve and pride run deep. Priceless qualities that can not be purchased are rich on the north coast. So expense is not the only "big downside" I see Monterey. (Sure Monterey gets less rain, but they have water shortages! So is rain a disadvantage....)

Finally.... The redwoods down there are tiny little twigs.....

[DCMann2]

Originally Posted by Steve97415

Here's your test. Rate the following temperature ranges in terms of preference:

1. 45-55F
2. 55-65F
3. 65-75F
4. 75-85F

To be happy living on the far northern coast, 1 & 2 should be your favorite temperature ranges, and preferably in that order. If #2 is your favorite temperature band, then #1 should be rated second. If you rated bands 3 or 4 first, or even second, you'll feel chilly 95% of the time. After 9 years there, I finally had to leave. There were beautiful days now and then, but overall a real law-of-averages problem with days that were predominantly gray, foggy, chilly, damp and windy. Most of the people I knew who liked it there were either post-menopausal women whose internal thermostats got stuck on hot-flash mode, or significantly overweight people who couldn't shed heat normally.

Here's another test. Go to your local grocery store and walk into the beer cooler. Sit there for about 10 minutes. Now ask yourself if you'd like to live where the temperatures are pretty much like this for 10 months out of the year. If your answer is "yes," then you may be a candidate for the far northern coast. Remember: it's cool and damp ALL YEAR long.

1 is fine for fall/winter and 2 is fine for spring/summer, though I'd prefer 1 or 2 for fall, 1 for winter, 1 or 2 for spring, and 3 for summer. Luckily those sorts of temperatures are achievable up there; you just have to go inland a little bit. I've been looking at Fortuna and Blue Lake the most; are there other areas around there that are slightly warmer than Eureka/Arcata/McKinleyville?

Originally Posted by BeauCharles

The Monterey Peninsula. You get the cool climate and regular marine layer without the excessive rain, pot culture and feeling like you're on the backside of nowhere. Only big downside is that its more expensive than the North Coast.

The Monterey/Carmel area is gorgeous along with the entire Big Sur area, but there's no way we'd be able to afford to live there.

As an aside, this thread got way off track for a little while there.